Elizabeth Geiler Petter

Elizabeth Geiler Petter died peacefully on April 14, 2025, at UMass Memorial Hospital following a stroke. She was 101 years old. She was predeceased by her husband of 61 years, John Brewer Petter, and her daughter Elizabeth Petter Thompson.

Born at home in Malden Massachusetts on December 1,1923, Betty was the only child of Mary Minor Geiler and Carl Geiler. As a child she led an active outdoor life, bicycling and ice skating with friends and making special trips to Boston to visit her father’s place of business on Long Wharf. She enjoyed summers on the Cape in Manomet relishing the simple joy of walking barefoot most days and combing the beach for sand dollars and other natural wonders. She shared especially fond memories of growing up with her cousin, Warren Walker, who lived with the family for years and fascinated her with his backyard menagerie of snakes, turtles and other small animals. She credited Warren with inspiring her love of science and the natural world.

Betty (nicknamed Bobbi) pursued her interest in science at St. Lawrence University earning department honors and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 1945, minoring in Chemistry and Psychology. She was a member of the sorority Alpha Delta Pi and was active in the stage production crew. Following graduation, Betty moved to New York City to work as a hospital lab technician. A year later she returned to Boston to work in Harvard University’s Bacteriology Laboratory at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital as a member of a research team investigating conditions of extreme cases of flu.

Betty met John Petter, then a surgical resident at Rutland Hospital, on a blind date set up by a friend. Betty and Jack got to know each other over weekends spent in Rockport, Massachusetts, meeting up with a group of friends called “The Bohemians,” attending barn dances, and trying something brand new at the time - pizza parlors! Jack and Betty wed in 1950, initially settling in Holden MA, and later moving permanently to Worcester where they raised four daughters.

Betty was devoted to her family. The kitchen became her laboratory and a focal point of the household. Along with a vast collection of cookbooks to fuel her creativity, Betty kept a world atlas and bird book open on the counter for frequent reference during dinner conversations. Her banana bread and coffee cakes were legendary - baked, given and happily received as special thank you gifts.

Betty also loved gardening. She could often be found outside surveying and tending to her flower beds and shade gardens. These lush natural canvases showcased Betty’s flare for color, shape and design along with her extensive knowledge of plants — often referring to them by their Latin names. Over the years, Betty volunteered for neighborhood clubs, school committees, and community civic groups including the Worcester Horticultural Society and Memorial Hospital.

Betty and Jack’s shared passion for travel led to many family adventures. Upon retirement, they packed their bags again, traveling to places such as Italy, Alaska, and the Galapagos Islands, her favorite trip. One month before she died, she read Charles Darwin’s 1839 journals, The Voyage of the Beagle.

In 2001 Betty and Jack moved into the cottages at Briarwood Continuing Care Community, and in doing so began a new chapter in their lives. Betty’s kindness and humor were a touchstone in her strong friendships and her capacity to make new friends. Betty was active on the steering committee responsible for the founding of the Briarwood Art Gallery and exhibiting the work of local artists.

Following Jack’s death in 2011, Betty formed a loving bond with her neighbor David Sawin, who had also lost his spouse. Together they joined the First Church in Sterling, enjoyed local drives, and made trips to Maine, Vermont, and Rockport, Massachusetts.

When Betty turned 100, the Mayor of Worcester awarded her a Key to the City, along with eleven other Briarwood residents. The family is grateful for the quality of life that Briarwood made possible for 24 years of Betty’s life.

Betty leaves behind her children Barbara (Petter) and Charlie Putnam of Deer Isle, Maine, Ann Petter of New York City, Carolyn (Petter) and Will Workman of Rockport, Massachusetts, her grandchildren Ella and Jack Workman, Dave Sawin, her loving partner for ten years, and many cherished friends. A memorial service will be held at 2PM on Friday, June 20th at Loring Auditorium, Briarwood, 65 Briarwood Circle, Worcester, MA. A private burial is planned for a later date. There are no calling hours. Donations in Betty’s memory can be made to the Worcester Art Museum, Memorial Hospital, and Briarwood Continuing Care Community.