Betty Hill Wharton

Betty Baker Hill Wharton, Washington College Class of 1944, died on October 3, 2013, at Willow Valley Retirement Community in Lancaster, PA. She was 90. Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Albert Watson Wharton, and grandson, Samuel Wharton Epstein. She is survived by her brother, William Watson Hill, Jr., of Naples, FL; three children, David Watson Wharton of Chestertown, MD, Susan Wharton Gates of Vienna VA, and Elizabeth Ellen Wharton of Port Angeles, WA; and by five grandchildren, Lara Gates Kling, Logan MacLeod Gates, Forrest William Epstein, Lillian Alden Gates, and Maya Grace Wharton. Betty will be deeply missed by her family and life-long friends. She is remembered for her welcoming personality, her warm smile, her big heart, and her unfailing kindness. Betty was born on November 24, 1922, in Baltimore, MD, where she spent most of her childhood. She had particularly happy memories of spending her eighth-grade year in Cumberland, where she enjoyed scholarly achievements and developed close lifelong friendships. Betty had a love of reading and drama. A member of Washington College Class of 1944 and Zeta Tau Alpha, she is best remembered for her performances as Beth in "Little Women" and Emily in "Our Town." As reported in the Washington College student paper, The Elm, “Miss Betty Hill, who yesterday was just another freshman, today is the topic of every conversation after her performance in Our Town as presented by the Players last night. Her interpretation of Emily Webb was superb. Wringing in laughs, sighs and tears from the audience at her will, Miss Hill handled her roll deftly and with the savoir faire of a trouper. Many a cynical eye wept a tear last night during the last act, in which Miss Hill reached the climax in her notable performance”. Betty’s future husband, upperclassman Al Wharton, Class of 1941, played George, her opposite lead. The two were married on December 5, 1942. The Whartons settled in Wilmington, DE, where they raised their children and were active members of Lower Brandywine Presbyterian Church. Betty was a deacon, worked in an inner city pre-school and gave her heart to two young Vietnamese refugees – Tai Phan Tan and Dung Van Nguyen, which the family sponsored in 1975 in conjunction with their church. The Whartons returned to Chestertown in 1980, where they continued to develop caring relationships and support charitable causes. An active member of First United Methodist Church, Betty was site coordinator and docent at Mt. Hermon Plantation, Earleville, MD, managed the prison extension library for Kent County, and even tried her hand at radio broadcasting for the local station, WCTR. The Whartons moved to Willow Valley Retirement Community in 1998, where once again, they joined a church and got involved in the community. A member of First Presbyterian Church, Betty was particularly supportive of Water Street Ministries, which serves the homeless and others in Lancaster, PA. The family is deeply appreciative to the young aides and nurses at Willow Valley who lovingly cared for Betty. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to enable Willow Valley employees to further their educational goals. Checks should be made payable to Willow Valley Retirement Community, indicating that funds are for the Resident Scholarship Fund in memory of Betty H. Wharton, and mailed to Willow Valley Corporate Office, Attn: Bob Rush, 100 Willow Valley Lakes Drive, Willow Street, PA 17584. Services will be held on Monday, October 7, 2013, at 3 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, Chestertown, MD. A reception in Fairlee will follow.

Betty Hill Wharton

November 4, 1922 - October 3, 2013