Cover photo for Elizabeth Banks Bartholomew's Obituary
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1926 Elizabeth 2017

Elizabeth Banks Bartholomew

November 30, 1926 — April 1, 2017

Elizabeth “Betty” Banks Bartholomew, 89, died Saturday, April 1, at TRU Hospice Care Center in Boulder.

Born to C. Everett and Eva S. Banks in Plainfield, NJ, on April 25, 1927, Elizabeth married Frank Bartholomew on December 20, 1947, soon after his return from serving in Europe. For 57 years they shared their lives, until Frank’s death in 2004. The couple moved to Boulder from Long Island, NY, in the summer of 1956 to open the Joslin’s department store on Walnut. Crossing the border between Kansas and Colorado at the end of a six year drought, they passed a sign that read “Entering Colorful Colorado.” Viewing nothing but brown landscape as far as the eye could see, Betty exclaimed, “We’ve been sold a bill of goods!” Nevertheless, she grew to love the West, though she always missed spending summers at her grandparents’ home on Nantucket Island.

Specializing in classrooms with special needs children, Elizabeth worked many years as a teacher’s aide in Boulder Valley schools. Long after retirement, she enjoyed dear friendships with those with whom she worked. After the flood of 2013 left six inches of water in the basement of the Martin Acres home where she had lived for 58 years, she decided to move to higher ground: specifically, a lovely second floor apartment at Sunrise Independent Living in Broomfield. She was all about attention to detail, dressing nicely each morning in case someone invited her to lunch and decadent chocolate desserts at the last minute. A hotdog and beer at a Rockies game were a yearly highlight. Betty loved books, especially history and biographies; sadly, she was the last encyclopedia of family information going back generations. She was a great listener, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She is already greatly missed.

Elizabeth was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and brother Charles Banks. She is survived by daughter Libby Martinson (Chris) of Longmont; son Frank Bartholomew Jr. (Diane) of Louisville; and two grandchildren, Ben Martinson (Adrien Allred) of New York City and Christina Bartholomew of Louisville.

A memorial reception will be held at Sunrise Senior Living, 400 Summit Blvd., Broomfield, CO 80021 on Sunday, April 23rd, from 2-5:00 P.M.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Elizabeth Banks Bartholomew, please visit our flower store.

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