Elizabeth N. Dubois

Elizabeth (Betty) Newman Dubois was born in Winchester, MA April 30, 1920, 100 years ago. She died of the covid-19 virus on May 11, 2020 at Newfield House in Plymouth, MA where she had been residing for the past four years.

Betty grew up in Winchester, MA, the third child of Sewell Edwin and Mabel (Corey) Newman and had a sister (Margaret) and a brother (Henry). Summers were spent on Cape Cod where Betty learned to be a strong swimmer. As a Girl Scout, she became interested in nature which became a lifelong interest. During the Depression years her family had to rely on their Yankee ingenuity and throughout her life she found ways to make do, fix up, and create something out of nothing, a legacy she passed on to all her children and shared with friends.

Betty attended Wheelock College, as did her mother before her, and graduated in the first four-year class in 1943. By then WWII was on and she met Edward Andrew Church Dubois at a USO dance. Six months later they were married in April, 1943. A year later, just before he was sent to Europe, they had the first of six children.

After the war, they moved to Hingham, MA and in 1949 to Ferry Street in Marshfield, MA where they remained for about 60 years. During this time the family expanded to six children: Mabel (Dan Ellis), Ned (Carol Harubin), Andy (Marina Eccleston), Meg (Jim Lim), Richard (Holly Cooney), and Mary (Rick Taylor). Betty leaves behind her six children and their spouses, twelve grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren.

Betty taught swimming many summers and was an elementary school teacher in Marshfield and Pembroke. When she retired, she began swimming three mornings a week at Percy Walker Pool and continued to do this until she was almost 90 years old. Betty sewed most of her clothes and her children’s clothes. She also knitted, and braided and hooked rugs, and taught others at the local YWCA. Betty & Ed were fixtures at town meetings; they maintained a huge organic garden that fed their family; and they helped found the Marshfield organic gardener’s group. Betty was also a longtime member of LBS at the Congregational Church in Marshfield. There wasn’t anything Betty couldn’t make, fix, adapt, or figure out! Her quick wit and creative genius will be missed by all who had the privilege to know her.

A service of remembrance will be held in the fall subject to health and safety conditions.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Newfield House Scholarship Fund which is given to prospective nursing school students. Checks should be made out to Newfield House,19 Newfield Street, Plymouth MA 02360.