"Betty" Margaret E. Gifford

"Betty" Margaret Elizabeth Gifford (née Ettinger) was born August 8, 1919 in Fort Wayne, Indiana to Margaret and Russell Ettinger. November 27, 2020 she peacefully passed away.

She was 101.  Betty was the beloved wife of Roger N. Gifford (dec), loving mother of Jane Hart (dec),  John Gifford (dec), Sally Iannone and Fred Gifford.  She was Grammy to Jeffrey (Lindsey) Iannone, Jason (Bonnie) Iannone, Carolyn Hansen, Rose and Jonathan Gifford,  Great Grammy to Evan Cerne-Iannone, Kevin Hansen and Griffin Iannone.  Betty was the much loved older sister of Walter Ettinger (dec), Frank Ettinger and Richard Ettinger (dec) and revered aunt to many nieces and nephews.

Betty’s life was about relevance, education and kindness.  It was filled with family, friends, volunteerism, nature and books. She met the love of her life, Roger “Giff” Gifford when they were both students at Bowling Green State University.  He was in student government and she was playing Emily, the lead in BG’s production of Our Town.  They were committed to their community through music, the arts, education and family.  After Betty graduated from BG she was a teacher in a one room school house in Wellington, Ohio until she married Giff.  When she was raising their four children she attended Oberlin College while working on a Masters in Theology, was Director of Religious Education and the first woman moderator of the Brecksville United Church of Christ.  Betty was a volunteer for Project Learn, an adult literacy program, as a tutor for people learning English as a second language. Tutoring gave her great joy and an opportunity to mentor families who became friends.  Betty was also a regional advisor for the American Field Service, a foreign exchange student program, as well as Brecksville’s leader for classes through the Case Western Reserve University/Segal Life Long Learning program.  In 1991 she was Brecksville Senior Volunteer Woman of the Year.

Betty’s family would like to thank Sannina Woodson, Jackie Woodson, Danielle Wilson and D’zire Wilson for helping her maintain as much quality of life as possible during her last few years.  Each of them helped her to continue to be who she was despite many difficulties.

Betty had a welcoming spirit and was kind to everyone. She was always gracious and embraced the individual differences of others. If nothing else is said or written about her, these last few words say it all; she was extraordinary, intelligent and kind and wanted to leave the world a better place.  For everyone who knew her, she did.

A celebration of Betty’s life will be held at a later date.  For anyone wishing to make a donation in honor of Betty the family requests either the Brecksville United Church of Christ or a literacy program of your choice.