Elizabeth Emily “Bette” (Berry) Manos died December 20, 2020 at Brooksby Village, Peabody, MA, where she had lived for over five years, the final seven months in their continuing care facility. She was born November 20, 1928 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the youngest daughter of Russell and Gladys Berry.
Bette grew up on a farm in Alton, NH, and later graduated from Stevens High School in Claremont, NH. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Keene State College in 1949, and later she earned a certificate in Library Science from Bridgewater State College, a career change which suited her passion for organization.
At Keene State, she met her future husband, Charles Manos, and they married December 23, 1950. Bette and Charlie were together for 67 years, until his death in January 2018. They enjoyed raising their daughters and watching their four grandsons grow into fine men. The birth of her first great grandchild in 2019 brought Bette much joy.
For her career, Bette taught high school English in East Jaffrey NH, Windsor VT and Claremont, NH, before taking a break to have children and see them off to kindergarten. After moving to Norfolk, MA, she returned to work as a high school librarian, serving Medfield, Walpole and Holliston High Schools. Upon retirement, she and Charlie moved to Dennis MA, and she became a tour guide, showing off the joys of Cape Cod, New England, and the eastern seaboard to visitors from around the world.
Bette loved singing, particularly with her siblings and her husband. She acted in and directed school and community theater, winning a directing award in the Massachusetts Drama Festival while living in Middleboro, MA. She appreciated great acting, and knew every actor in the theater, movies, and TV. Bette loved to play couples bridge with Charlie, and later with other Brooksby residents; until March of this year, she still played four times a week.
Bette loved to travel. With a travel trailer, she and Charlie took their children to 47 states plus Mexico and most of Canada. After retirement, they visited over 60 countries. She also had a passion for researching family history, both her own as an old New England “Daughter of the American Revolution” and her husband’s in Greece and Nova Scotia.
Bette is survived by two daughters, Cindy Reppucci (husband Rob), and Kris Manos (husband Dave Shryock; four grandsons, Michael Barbati Jr (wife Jules), Nick Barbati, Robert Rutledge-Shryock (wife Liz), and Ben Shryock; and a great granddaughter, Georgia Rutledge-Shryock. She was predeceased by her loving husband, Charles Manos, and four siblings and their spouses, Lennie Haubrich (husband Bud), Ruth Dodge (husband Cap), Russell Berry (wife Mae), and Jackie Slade (husband Ed).
A memorial service will be held via Zoom on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at 2 P.M.
To request the Zoom link, please email [email protected]
In lieu of flowers, kindly make a memorial donation in Bette's name to:
Care Dimensions
75 Sylvan Street, Suite B-102
Danvers, MA 01923