Elizabeth "Betty" Petersen

Betty Petersen, 88, of Sheffield, died on April 30, 2026, leaving behind a family full of stories, life lessons, and enough “Bettyisms” to keep everyone laughing for generations. 

If you weren’t paying attention, you probably missed one of Betty’s quietly delivered one-liners. She had a wonderful sense of humor and a personality that somehow managed to be both larger-than-life and completely under the radar. Maybe that came from growing up in a rambunctious family of ten. Or maybe it was because her beloved husband, Wes, happily handled the loud department while Betty perfected the art of slipping in the funniest comment in the room under her breath.

 Betty firmly believed there was very little in life worth excessive fussing over. She loved a good joke and treasured laughing with family and friends. To hear Betty laugh was a gift, partly because once she got going, everyone else usually followed. Her philosophy on life was refreshingly straightforward: look at the big picture and do not waste precious time fretting over the little things. One of her favorite sayings was, “If you’re going to laugh about it at some point, let’s laugh now.” It turns out this applied to scraped knees, broken appliances, bad weather, poor decisions, and most other events life tossed her way. That philosophy served her family well and her children still carry permanent mental tattoos of sayings like, “Make it do, use it up, and go without,” and the ever-comforting, “Walk it off, you’ll live.” She was not much for dwelling, dramatics, or self-pity. In Betty’s world, fresh air, prayer, a good night’s sleep, and getting over it solved most things. 

Throughout her life she saved stories, jokes, observations, and quotes in notebooks and desk drawers, meaning her family fully expects Betty to continue dispensing wisdom, humor, and unsolicited perspective from beyond the grave for many years to come. 

Betty was happiest outdoors, particularly if a beach, pool, lawn chair, or card table happened to be nearby. She loved playing cards with family and friends and was always up for a “quick” hand of setback. Music brought her joy, and family members often caught her doing a few dance steps around the home when she thought no one was looking. 

When she was younger, Betty carefully counted pennies so she and her family could travel. Ireland remained one of her favorite places to reminisce about, and she almost certainly would have happily signed up for another visit. Her love of reading and deep spirituality carried into the thoughtful early morning emails she faithfully sent to family members over the years, often arriving well before most recipients had found coffee or consciousness.

 During the years of raising children, Betty’s weekly bowling night out was an important ritual that likely benefited not only her sanity, but everyone else’s as well. 

Betty was born on April 6, 1938, in New Haven, the daughter of Kathryn King and Gordon Gibbs. She grew up in Sheffield and graduated from Sheffield High School in 1956. That fall, on October 27, 1956, Betty married her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Wes Petersen. Together they built a home, raised two children, traveled whenever they could, and mastered the fine art of partnership over 69 years of marriage.

 Most of Betty’s work outside the home involved bookkeeping and clerical positions at Great Barrington Manufacturing Company, Insurance Company of North America in Philadelphia, Mt. Everett Regional Cafeteria, and the Town of Sheffield Tax Office. She also volunteered as a driver for Berkshire County Elder Services, where she collected plenty of stories and probably improved many people’s days along the way. 

Betty is survived by her children, Tamar P. Schrager and her partner, Mike Daly; Andrew Petersen and his partner, Kim Lavoie; her brother, Thomas Gibbs; and many nieces and nephews who knew better than to complain too much around Aunt Betty.

 She was predeceased by her parents; her husband of 69 years, Wes Petersen; her sisters, Correll Pezzee, Leslie Conklin, Linda Chase, and Kathryn Hutmaker; and her brothers, Gordon, Richard, James, and Donald Gibbs.

 A Funeral Mass will be held Monday, May 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Valley Church, celebrated by Fr. Robert Miskell, Pastor. In accordance with Betty’s wishes, there will be no calling hours — likely because she preferred people skip the fuss, stop hovering, and get on with things.

 In lieu of flowers, donations in Betty’s memory may be made to Our Lady of the Valley Church Memorial Fund or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, care of Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home. To share memories or send condolences, please visit Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home.