Elizabeth
Elizabeth Whetstone Booda
d. November 6, 2023
Elizabeth Whetstone Booda (Betty) slipped into the arms of her loving Savior on Monday, November 6, 2023 while residing at The Glen, Willow Valley Communities, Lancaster, PA. She was just shy of her 100 th Birthday.
Betty was born on December 3, 1923 at Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia, PA; the daughter of the late Walter Warren Whetstone and Clara Grace Fulmer Whetstone. Two brothers, Walter “Walt” Warren Whetstone Jr. and Charles (Chic) Leroy Whetstone soon joined her. Both proceeded her in death.
Betty graduated from Germantown High School in Philadelphia in 1942. She then entered
nurses training at The School of Nursing, Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital of
Philadelphia and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1947. She went on to work for
Hahnemann Hospital for several years and returned to nursing at Cooper University Hospital
in Camden, New Jersey when her children were in college. She was a nurse at heart, always
fascinated with the medical updates she encountered in her lifetime.
Charles Kenton Booda Jr came into Betty’s life in 1948 and they were married in Philadelphia,
June 18, 1949. Betty was a loving wife and mother to their three children, Elizabeth, Chip and
Eleanore. Charles died December 7, 2017 at the age of 93.
Betty lived in Philadelphia and Willow Grove, PA until her husband took a job transfer through
Campbell Soup Company to Worthington, Minnesota in 1961. Betty and Charles later resided
in Salisbury, Maryland and Cherry Hill, New Jersey before coming to The Manor at Willow
Valley, Lancaster, PA in 2001 where they have resided since.
Throughout her lifetime, Betty developed interests in a vast number of things. She loved to
sew, making dresses for her daughters and herself, working on cross stitch and quilts. While
living in Minnesota she became fascinated with rocks, often walking a dirt road or abandoned
railroad track hunting up the next specimen. She cut, polished and tumbled rocks and when
she visited a gem show, she felt like she was visiting old friends. For many years, Betty
collaborated with family members while doing genealogy research. Whenever possible, Betty
took a ride on a carousel. She always reached for the ring as her horse passed by. In his
retirement, Charles lovingly carved her a ¾ size carousel horse she proudly displayed in their
home. She loved the ocean and took every opportunity to visit the “shore”, take a swim and
walk the boardwalk. Betty had a bent for collecting and besides her rocks, she hunted old
glass bottles, collected brass bells, postcards from her travels, coins and stamps with special
meaning to her and took a multitude of photographs.
Betty and Charles enjoyed traveling together, visiting historic and scenic places throughout
the United States, often stopping to visit friends and family. They traveled to England and
Israel several times. Both Betty and Charles shared one another s interests enhancing their
travel experiences. Charles graciously accompanied Betty to numerous Carousel
Conventions while Betty traveled with her husband to WWII Veterans reunions and events.
Together they visited nearly all 50 States.
Betty loved the Lord and was active in her church throughout her lifetime. She taught Sunday
School, Vacation Bible School, worked in the nursery and served the Lord in whatever
capacity she could. She enjoyed the study of Biblical Archaeology and Eschatology. When
she could no longer attend church, you would find her reading her Bible or a book on one of
these subjects. Perhaps because she lived in Lancaster, she loved reading Amish fiction.
Preceded in death by her husband, Betty is survived by her son, Charles K. Booda, III with his
wife, Nancy of Langhorne, PA; two daughters, Elizabeth A. Hartzler of Greenville, MI and
Eleanore G. Ralph -Samons with her husband Tim of Monroe Twp, NJ; 9 grandchildren and
13 great-grandchildren.
The family is grateful and thankful to the staff of The Glen (and formerly Arbor View), Willow
Valley for their consistently kind and loving care of both Charles and Betty. Both of their lives,
in these later years, were blessed by the many who cared for them.
A Memorial Service is planned for Sunday afternoon, December 3, 2023 at 2:00 PM in the
lower-level auditorium at The Manor, Willow Valley, Lancaster, PA. Interment will take place at
Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown, PA the following day.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Willow Valley Communities
Charitable Foundation at 100 Willow Valley Lakes Drive, Willow Street, PA 17584 (indicate in
memory of Betty Booda).
Betty was born on December 3, 1923 at Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia, PA; the daughter of the late Walter Warren Whetstone and Clara Grace Fulmer Whetstone. Two brothers, Walter “Walt” Warren Whetstone Jr. and Charles (Chic) Leroy Whetstone soon joined her. Both proceeded her in death.
Betty graduated from Germantown High School in Philadelphia in 1942. She then entered
nurses training at The School of Nursing, Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital of
Philadelphia and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1947. She went on to work for
Hahnemann Hospital for several years and returned to nursing at Cooper University Hospital
in Camden, New Jersey when her children were in college. She was a nurse at heart, always
fascinated with the medical updates she encountered in her lifetime.
Charles Kenton Booda Jr came into Betty’s life in 1948 and they were married in Philadelphia,
June 18, 1949. Betty was a loving wife and mother to their three children, Elizabeth, Chip and
Eleanore. Charles died December 7, 2017 at the age of 93.
Betty lived in Philadelphia and Willow Grove, PA until her husband took a job transfer through
Campbell Soup Company to Worthington, Minnesota in 1961. Betty and Charles later resided
in Salisbury, Maryland and Cherry Hill, New Jersey before coming to The Manor at Willow
Valley, Lancaster, PA in 2001 where they have resided since.
Throughout her lifetime, Betty developed interests in a vast number of things. She loved to
sew, making dresses for her daughters and herself, working on cross stitch and quilts. While
living in Minnesota she became fascinated with rocks, often walking a dirt road or abandoned
railroad track hunting up the next specimen. She cut, polished and tumbled rocks and when
she visited a gem show, she felt like she was visiting old friends. For many years, Betty
collaborated with family members while doing genealogy research. Whenever possible, Betty
took a ride on a carousel. She always reached for the ring as her horse passed by. In his
retirement, Charles lovingly carved her a ¾ size carousel horse she proudly displayed in their
home. She loved the ocean and took every opportunity to visit the “shore”, take a swim and
walk the boardwalk. Betty had a bent for collecting and besides her rocks, she hunted old
glass bottles, collected brass bells, postcards from her travels, coins and stamps with special
meaning to her and took a multitude of photographs.
Betty and Charles enjoyed traveling together, visiting historic and scenic places throughout
the United States, often stopping to visit friends and family. They traveled to England and
Israel several times. Both Betty and Charles shared one another s interests enhancing their
travel experiences. Charles graciously accompanied Betty to numerous Carousel
Conventions while Betty traveled with her husband to WWII Veterans reunions and events.
Together they visited nearly all 50 States.
Betty loved the Lord and was active in her church throughout her lifetime. She taught Sunday
School, Vacation Bible School, worked in the nursery and served the Lord in whatever
capacity she could. She enjoyed the study of Biblical Archaeology and Eschatology. When
she could no longer attend church, you would find her reading her Bible or a book on one of
these subjects. Perhaps because she lived in Lancaster, she loved reading Amish fiction.
Preceded in death by her husband, Betty is survived by her son, Charles K. Booda, III with his
wife, Nancy of Langhorne, PA; two daughters, Elizabeth A. Hartzler of Greenville, MI and
Eleanore G. Ralph -Samons with her husband Tim of Monroe Twp, NJ; 9 grandchildren and
13 great-grandchildren.
The family is grateful and thankful to the staff of The Glen (and formerly Arbor View), Willow
Valley for their consistently kind and loving care of both Charles and Betty. Both of their lives,
in these later years, were blessed by the many who cared for them.
A Memorial Service is planned for Sunday afternoon, December 3, 2023 at 2:00 PM in the
lower-level auditorium at The Manor, Willow Valley, Lancaster, PA. Interment will take place at
Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown, PA the following day.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Willow Valley Communities
Charitable Foundation at 100 Willow Valley Lakes Drive, Willow Street, PA 17584 (indicate in
memory of Betty Booda).
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Elizabeth Whetstone Booda, please visit our flower store.
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