Greenfield, MA – Elizabeth Estelle (Galligan) Doiron (age 87) beloved mom, grandmother, and great grandmother residing at 18 B Huntington Circle, Greenfield passed peacefully at Baystate Medical Center – Springfield on October 30th following a month of failing health. Betsy was the widow of Roger P. Doiron, Sr. who predeceased her in 2021 in their 64th year of a strong and happy marriage that would rival any other. Survivors include children Dayle of Brattleboro; Terry and his wife Patti of Conway, SC; and Roger II and his wife Priscilla of Erving, in addition to cherished grandchildren Elizabeth of Marion, AR; Whitney Lambert and her husband Ben of Deerfield; Lee of Southport, NC; and Roger III of Orange. Great granddaughters Mathilde and Juliette Lambert of Deerfield also survive Betsy. Betsy was born in Newport RI on August 12, 1939, the hottest day that summer according to her mother, to Christoper and Elizabeth Galligan. She grew up there and in Warwick, RI with her three younger siblings. Betsy cultivated a lifelong connection to her home state, largely due to her close relationships with the many family members still residing there, and visited often. Sister Christine Lamoureux to whom Betsy remained very close her entire life and her husband Richard of Warwick, RI survive her, along with their children Rick Lamoureux (Mary), Michelle Fonda (Russ), and Nichole Wooten. Brothers Michael and Kevin predeceased her. Betsy was a member of the first graduating class of Warwick Veterans Memorial High School in 1957, already engaged to Roger who lived in the same neighborhood and whom she knew from age 7. They were wed on June 7, 1958 and were eager to start their own family. Roger's career took them from RI to Ohio, Maryland, New York, Massachusetts, and finally New Jersey. Betsy relished her role of supporting Roger and maintaining a household full of happiness, love, and fun for her young family through the transitions and the opportunities the moves presented. In 1970 Betsy and Roger moved to Bernardston where they would reside for the next 17 years. Betsy quickly became a valued community member, seeking ways to contribute and forging many lifelong friendships. She was a Cub Scout den mother, registrar of voters, special police officer, school crossing guard, and served on the Bernardston School Committee. Betsy returned to the work world when her children became older. She was employed at Sweeney Ford in Greenfield providing inventory control in the parts department and later for many years at the Brattleboro Retreat in an administrative support role to the psychiatrists. Betsy loved music, particularly live music, a passion shared with her children. She enjoyed bowling, gardening, dancing, word puzzles, and reading. Betsy had a keen interest in politics and expended considerable energy advocating for the values most important to her (much to her family's sometime amusement), without restraint, on social media. In Betsy's later years, however, her greatest and most dearly held impact was on the lives of her grandchildren. Betsy epitomized what it meant to be a grandmother, never missing an opportunity to spend time with her grandchildren, engaging in shared rituals that underscored how important each was to her, and was a constant presence at their school events and life benchmarks. Always interested in them as individuals, she found new ways to stay involved in their lives as they got older, deepening and expanding their closeness. Like with her children before them, Betsy provided the next generation a blueprint for caring for those you love and nurturing a family. Although her family with Roger was Betsy's absolute priority and the very center of her life throughout, her interest in, love for, and the careful commitment extended to family, friends, and her children's and grandchildren's friends was also a hallmark of her life. Her devotion to and tireless loving care of her husband in his later years both extended his life and enriched it immeasurably. Betsy's children and grandchildren are forever grateful to her for allowing them to enjoy their dad and granddad for those additional years. Betsy was small, but mighty; her strength, boundless optimism, resilience, and ever present positivity were undeniable and inspirational. Particularly noteworthy was the manner in which she lived her life after losing the love of her life. She dug in fully, wholeheartedly enjoying these last five years until the very end, traveling often to visit family, attending arts events, celebrating family milestones including the births of her great granddaughters, and continuing to spend summer days at her much loved Lake Sebago, Maine. Although Betsy will be missed immeasurably, her model of loving without reserve and living one's life to the greatest extent possible will be carried forward by each of her family members. Arrangements are under the direction of Kidder Funeral Home, 1 Parker Ave., Northfield, Ma. Per Betsy's wishes, there is no formal, public event. Any one looking to make a memorial donation is encouraged to select a charity of their choice that benefits children .
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Elizabeth " Betsy" Doiron