Family Log-In

Click Here

Elizabeth Marguerite Wyman Godfrey (Betty to all) was born on the 4th of July in the year 1926 and was the daughter of Elma (Dunphy) and Everett Wyman. Her deeply loving and devoted husband of 73 years, Richard H. (Dick) Godfrey, always referred to her as his firecracker.
Betty grew up in Millinocket Maine with a deep love of its rugged woods, lakes and mountains, especially the beautiful Mount Katahdin. In high school, Betty moved to Old Town Maine and quickly fell in love with Dick. The Depression and World War II years were challenging times and as soon as Dick turned 18, he joined the Navy as an aviator and Betty attended the University of Maine. When Dick came home on leave, they married on August 12, 1944. Afterwards, Betty and Dick were fortunate to be able to live together in Atlantic City, New Jersey where Dick was stationed as a flight instructor and submarine patrol pilot.
Soon after the war ended, they returned to live with family in Old Town, where Dick attended the University of Maine and their first child, Samantha (Charm to Dick and Betty) was born. Betty was the home force of the family then and over future decades. Betty and Dick moved to Plymouth, New Hampshire in 1950 to start their independent life with Samantha plus sons Mark and Rich. Betty and Dick were active in the Plymouth Methodist Church and always heartily enjoyed get togethers with their friends and family.
When Betty and Dick moved to Bedford NH in 1962, Betty did a lot of driving of Samantha, Rich and Mark to school and myriad school activities as there was no high school or school bus for high schoolers in Bedford. As Sam, Mark and Rich grew, Betty was an enthusiastic supporter of all their activities including scouting, music and sports except for football. For Sam, Betty would make beautiful clothes. For Mark and Rich, she was more likely to mend holes that were created through rough play.
Betty and Dick were deeply engaged in the activities of the Bedford Presbyterian Church with Betty taking on leadership roles in the Ladies Social Circle. Betty provided love through her service to others and often fulfilled that mission in providing delicious, heart-warming food. Betty was known for her pies and chocolate cake and the Godfrey’s was the favorite house to visit on Halloween with Betty’s delicious raised, sugared donuts. Betty enjoyed her gardens, was active in the Bedford Garden Club and loved her backyard birds. She also appreciated beautiful works of art and nature and was an avid reader. Although always at home when the children were growing, she later loved to travel with Dick to picturesque and interesting places.
Betty was cheerful, thrifty and always positive. There was always a correct way to do everything and she was an excellent organizer. She and Dick shared a love for family fun on the water with their boat on Squam Lake in New Hampshire and their cottage on Pushaw Lake in Maine. It was always a center of family gatherings for multiple generations including children, grand-children and great grandchildren, parents, cousins, sisters, nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles. Betty also kept a special place in her heart and mind for her beloved sister Evelyn and her Canadian family with cousins by the dozens.
Betty will be deeply missed and eternally loved by her children Samantha, Rich and Mark; their respective spouses Tom, Carla and Darlene; grandchildren Lara, Emily, Zach, Jess, Sarah, Ian, Livy, Tim, Brandon and Ryan and their children’s children. Betty’s beloved partner Dick passed away in September of 2017 and she will be with him forever. Betty died peacefully in Black Mountain, North Carolina on March 28, 2018 where she recently relocated to be close to Samantha.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either the Bedford Presbyterian Church Deacon Fund, 4 Church Road, Bedford NH 03110 or the Birch Hill Benevolent Fund, 200 Alliance Way, Manchester, NH 03102 which assist individuals and families. A celebration of Betty and Dick will be held in the summer.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Elizabeth Marguerite Godfrey (Wyman), please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.