MELROSE — Bette R. Holloway, 84, a longtime resident of Wakefield, passed away peacefully at Melrose-Wakefield Hospital on Monday, March 23.
Bette was born in Hebron, Md. and was one of four children of the late Marion and Ruth (Rector) Holloway. Bette graduated from nursing school at the Peninsula General Hospital in Salisbury, Md. She worked as a dedicated mental health nurse for over 30 years in a variety of hospitals beginning in her home state of Maryland, then in New York City and finally in the Boston area. She also served as a U.S. Air Force Nurse for several years.
With her free time, Bette was a passionate woodworker. She had a creative mind and crafted many household objects and decorations from wood. Her favorite technique was intarsia, the art of molding differing woods together to create one form. She loved woodworking and had an entire basement stocked full of tools. Every year, she brought many of her creations to the annual Crafts Show in Wakefield.
Bette’s other main passion in life was cooking. She loved hosting family parties, entertaining family and friends and made everything from scratch. She found particular delight in preparing Chesapeake Bay crabs for all.
Her other interests included photography, gardening and traveling. She traveled extensively with friends to France, Sweden, Ireland several times, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the Caribbean. Bette was an affable person who made friends easily and liked having a good time. She will be lovingly remembered by all who knew her.
Bette was the longtime friend of Rosalind Kiley of Wakefield. She was the loving sister of the late Lester Holloway; Raymond Holloway and Elsie Mae Gordy. She was the dear aunt of Kay Gordy of Pompano Beach, Fla., Jan Ritchy of Australia and Ginger Gordy of Australia. She was the caring friend of Marcia Kiley and her husband Gerard of Belmont; Gerard Kiley of San Francisco, Lindsay Kiley and her husband Rob Gerega of Sydney, Australia and Gene Papalia and his wife Linda of Marlboro.
Relatives and friends gathered in honor and remembrance of Bette’s life during visiting hours at the Robinson Funeral Home, 809 Main St., Melrose on Thursday, March 26 and again on Friday, March 27 for her funeral service. Interment will take place in Lakeside Cemetery, Wakefield. For directions, online tribute or to share a memory, visit RobinsonFuneralHome.com.
