SALEM – Elizabeth Mae (Humphrey) Shatswell, 80, of Salem, wife of James B. Shatswell, died Saturday afternoon, December 6, 2014 at the Kaplan Family Hospice House, Danvers with family at her side.
Born in Danvers and raised in Lynn, she was the daughter of the late William T. and Elizabeth Mae (Bezanson) Humphrey and was a graduate of Lynn English High School.
Betty was employed by Lynn Institution for Savings as a teller and advanced to head teller when she left to raise her family in the early 1950’s. In 1972, she returned to work and was employed as the office manager for Shatswell MacLeod and Company until her retirement in the early 1990’s. In later years, she worked for several funeral homes including Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home in Peabody, Full-Spychalski and Levesque Funeral Home in Salem. She is remembered by many as the gracious and kind woman who greeted visitors at the door of the Levesque Funeral Home.
Betty enjoyed years of worship and service at the First Congregational Church of Swampscott. She served on the board of government at the Brookhouse Home in Salem for many years. She also enjoyed her work at the voting polls. Prior to going back to work in 70’s she bowled and played bridge on a regular basis. Betty was Jim’s first mate in life and on the Highlander their IOD racing sailboat. Besides being a devoted wife, no mother was more proud of each of her children’s and grandchildren’s accomplishments in life.
Besides her husband, with whom she shared 61 years of marriage, she is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, James “Jay” Shatswell II and Barbara Williams of Ft Myers, FL, a daughter, Lizabeth “Beth” Shatswell Miller of Salem, grandchildren, Lindsey Miller, Paula Miller, Nathaniel Shatswell, Eva Cowles and her husband Rob, nieces Naoma Boylston, Paula Howe and her husband Arthur, Susan Harrington and her husband Rich, Sally Cunningham, one nephew, Bruce Shatswell and his wife Pat, and great nephews Trevor and Samuel “B.J.” Boylston. She also leaves her beloved standard poodles, Onyx and Blue Belle, the most recent of a long line of cherished pets. She was predeceased by two sisters, Naoma Haseltine and Vera-Jean Stramski and a brother, Melvin “Mel” Humphrey.
Family will receive visitors on Friday, December 12, 2014 from 3 to 6 pm at the Full-Spychalski Funeral Home, 84 Washington Square East, by Salem Common, Salem. A private memorial service will be held at a later date at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Betty’s memory to Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923. For on line guest book and directions, visit www.SalemFuneral.com.