As was indicative of her personality, Elisabeth Smith purposefully executed her transition with precision. Not to be upstaged by the Queen with whom she shared a name and who exited this earthly plane on September 8th, Betty opted to wait for the dancing rays of dawn's early light on September 9th to join her beloved Ralph and finally embrace the mother she had waited a lifetime to reconnect with.

At roughly two years of age and as the result of adoption, Shirley Reynolds became Elisabeth "Betty" Hale.  Understandably she longed to ferret out the details of her biological roots, yet out of respect to her adoptive parents, she waited until both had passed.  Though this calculated delay unfortunately cost her the ability to reunite with her birth mother (who, from separation, carried a picture of her beloved daughter within her personal bible), she was lovingly welcomed in by her biological father and half-siblings.  Family, rather biological or chosen, was Betty's most coveted asset.

Betty consistently viewed her surroundings through a discerning artistic lens. Long before it became trendy to eat organic foods that possessed vibrant colors, she intuitively prepared and executed evening meals in accordance with the color wheel.  Utilizing the ledge rock extracted from the home's cellar hole, she constructed stone pathways that eloquently complimented her mother's peonies, the heirloom rose bush from the farm and countless varieties of wildflowers that she professed planted themselves intentionally because they instinctively knew where best to thrive.  Though she possessed an innate ability to bring any staged objects to life on canvas, it was the ocean's waves and rocks that proved to be her most poignant muse of execution.  And her creativity extended well beyond the easel.  When she wasn't hand-knitting cable sweaters and unapologetically sewing polyester pants for each of her four children to eventually sport, she wowed the masses with ornately decorated birthday and wedding cakes during the dog days of summer.

Lured by a vivacious appetite for knowledge, she and her husband were drawn to a program designed specifically for seniors at the University of Southern Maine.  It was OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) that prompted Betty to further spread her wings both intellectually and from a connectivity standpoint.  She was extremely proud of her ability to secure riveting speakers then bravely overcame her fear of public speaking when introducing each to an auditorium filled with lifelong scholars.  Furthermore, this environment afforded her the ability to continue with her love of painting while in the company of like minded spirits.

In the end, she miraculously exuded and enveloped each visitor with indescribable peace, palpable love and immense gratitude.  In the end, all that truly mattered to her was to be surrounded by those she loved and by those who loved her beyond measure.  Cheers to a life well played!

We wish to express our heartfelt appreciation to the loving staff at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House.  In lieu of flowers, kindly make donations to Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, 11 Hunnewell Road, Scarborough, ME 04074.

Visiting hours will be held from 10-11 a.m. on October 28, 2022 at Hobbs Funeral Home, 230 Cottage Road, South Portland, ME 04106.  Visiting hours will be followed by a service 11 a.m.-12 noon and then all are welcomed to join the family for a reception next door.  A private burial will ensue at a later date.