In Memoriam

Helen ‘Betty’ Elizabeth New
1927-2024

ONEONTA—Helen Elizabeth “Betty” New, 97, passed away at home peaceful and comfortable with her beloved daughter and caregiver, Nancy, at her side, on August 8, 2024.

She was born March 11, 1927 in Hamburg, New York, the youngest daughter of Harry Lyman and Catharine Moore (Allen) Sharp.

Betty met John Gabriel New at Cornell University, where they both received undergraduate degrees. They married on December 22, 1950 at Betty’s family home in Hamburg, then both returned to Cornell to earn master’s degrees.

After that, she taught biology at Liberty High School, and in 1953 they returned to Cornell, where her husband completed his PhD and Betty would jokingly say she completed her PhT (Put Hubby Through.)  

In 1956, the family moved to Oneonta, where they both became active and well-loved contributors to the community. Betty was a substitute teacher at the Oneonta Junior and Senior high schools and John was a biology professor at SUNY Oneonta. Betty helped to organize the Community Concert series, led 4-H clubs and Girl Scouts, was active in the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society, and contributed wherever she was needed in the community.

She was a dedicated member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist and served as Chaplain at A.O. Fox Hospital for many years, where she was well received. She was giving and kind, showed unconditional love, and was always taking care of others. Her humor lifted many hearts.

Betty and John loved traveling with their children. They spent the summers camping throughout the United States and Canada and, over the years, they explored all of the U.S. National Parks.  Their love of natural history led the couple to extend their travel worldwide, including Africa, Iceland, the Falklands and the Galapagos Islands. After her husband passed in 1983, she continued his legacy by teaching his birding class, and by leading trips to Africa as part of the college Experiential Learning Program.

Family was very important to Betty and she was always there to support her children’s activities, including sports and academic and professional pursuits. She traveled often to visit with, and care for, her beloved grandchildren. Her sense of family knew no bounds and she embraced many individuals in her broad sense of family. Her hands and heart were always open to give to others.

Betty was a true homemaker, excellent baker and master gardener. Her family grew up on her homemade baked bread and she kept huge vegetable and flower gardens that many benefited from with fresh, canned, and frozen produce.  In 1972, the family purchased a beautiful farm and Betty worked with a retired contractor to build a horse barn and renovate the farmhouse that she and John eventually moved into. She oversaw the entire property, including care and management of her family and friends’ horses.  

Betty especially loved square and round dancing, and sometimes danced five days a week. She and John danced together until his passing, and then she enjoyed both dancing and worldwide travel for 18 years with her partner, Harold Silliman, until his passing.  

She is survived by her children, Lois New of Clifton Park, Nancy New of Oneonta, Kenneth (Laurel) New of Fleming Island, Florida and Chris (Alesia) New of Windermere, Florida; grandchildren Kendra, Jared, Cyara, and Julia; sister-in-law Elsa New; and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband, John New; siblings Ruth Cairns, Frank Sharp, and Elmer Sharp; son-in-law Cecil Lubitz; and brother-in-law Robert New.

A future celebration of life will be planned.

Donations in her honor may be made to the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society, https://doas.us/donate/.

 Expressions of sympathy may be made at www.lhpfuneralhome.com, the website of Oneonta’s only family-owned funeral home, Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono at 51 Dietz Street.