Elizabeth (Betty) Learned MacDowell, of Jeffersonville, VT was born on May 13, 1925, the youngest daughter of the late Wallace and Annie Learned, and passed away peacefully of natural causes on January 25th, 2022 at age 96 at Brownway Residence in Enosburg Falls, VT. She was married to Donald MacDowell, who predeceased her in 1975. Don worked for NBC and was assigned to the news room at the White House during the Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon administrations. He traveled extensively with Air Force One, going to several countries and recording events to be broadcast via NBC. During this time, families were permitted to join staff members, so Betty was able to travel with Air Force One to various destinations within the US. Betty’s hobbies included driving in Auto Road Rallies with her husband as navigator. They competed together in regional events near Washington, DC, as well as National rallies where they won numerous trophies.
During her high school years, Betty took flying lessons taught by her brother-in-law, Merle Wood, who at that time was a Flight Instructor at Berlin Airport and later at Burlington Airport. From 1925-1948, while growing up on Elm Grove Farm on Route 15, half-way between Cambridge and Jeffersonville, she enjoyed helping on the farm in the summer by raking hay with her favorite horse, “Topsy”. She often rode horseback with her next door neighbor, Charlotte Crane, taking rides high into the hills.
Betty was a graduate of Cambridge High School, Johnson Normal School and the University of Maryland, where she earned a Masters Degree in Education. She taught first and second grade for one year at the Graded School in Underhill, VT and Kindergarten for 25 years in Bethesda, MD and Silver Spring, MD. She spent one summer traveling in Europe with a group from Maryland University, beginning in Bergen, Norway and going south to Portugal. During the summer of 1977, she and her daughter, Susan, toured and camped across the USA. They also traveled together throughout Europe, New Zealand and Australia, having an exciting time. The Great Barrier Reef was a treat. Later they visited and stayed with relatives in Alaska, touring the Kenai Peninsula and spending time salmon and halibut fishing.
After retiring from teaching, Betty moved back to Vermont and settled on land which once belonged to her father. Here she had the wonderful opportunity to live next door to her son and daughter-in-law and help raise her grandchildren, Ian and Emily. Other hobbies were the love of gardening and beautifying the roadside with daffodils and lupines. She enjoyed reading, word games, traveling, jigsaw puzzles and cooking. She made the best pies ever! She even won First Place at the Champlain Valley Fair with a strawberry rhubarb pie! She enjoyed photography and made and sold note cards. Several of her photographs are displayed in the office of our local dentist (Dr. Solomon). She was a member of the Vermont Retired Teachers of Lamoille and Franklin Counties. She was also a long-time member of the Essex Junction and Jeri-Hill X.Y.Z. Senior Citizens groups, where she enjoyed meeting and becoming friends with many wonderful and interesting people.
Betty leaves behind a son, Laird MacDowell and his wife, Nancy, of Jeffersonville, VT; a daughter, Susan Graves and her husband, Alan, of Reedville, VA; three grandchildren, who affectionately called her “Grammoo” and were the pride and joy of her life: Ian MacDowell and partner Fawn Thompson and great-granddaughter, Matilda, and Fawn’s son, Levi, of Dripping Springs, TX; Emily Wolynski MacDowell and husband, Jorge Wolynski, of Milton, VT; Alan Graves, Jr. of Kensington, MD; and many beloved members of her extended family. She was predeceased by two sisters; Abbie Marsh and Mary Wood; and five nephews, John Marsh, Page Marsh, Rex Marsh, Danny Marsh and Merle Wood, Jr.
The family thanks the excellent staff of the Brownway Residence in Enosburg Falls and Bayada Hospice for their care and attention. There will be no funeral service and a private celebration of her life will be held at the convenience of her family. If desired, contributions in her memory may be made to the Vermont Land Trust through their website: www.vlt.org. Arrangements are being handled by A.W. Rich Funeral Home in Fairfax, VT.