Smith, Elizabeth A.

By Canton Citizen

Elizabeth Ann ‘Betty’ (Whitty) Smith, 90, of Canton, passed away October 6 surrounded by her loving family after a brief illness. Born and raised in Canton, she graduated from Canton High School in 1953. She began working for the telephone company as a switchboard operator.

At the age of 15, Betty met the love of her life, Richard ‘Snuffy’ Smith, who was driving the Cushman Bakery truck delivering bread to her aunt. They would marry on July 11, 1959, and began building their family of six children.

As her children grew older, she returned to work, joining the James Ferrera & Sons Inc. company in Canton, where she worked for several years. She also helped her eldest son, Smitty, launch and manage Smitty’s Homemade Ice Cream on Cape Cod. Up until her passing, she was actively managing the financial affairs for the business and was a staple for customers and team members alike. Betty was happy to forego a salary and preferred to be paid in coffee frappes instead.

In 1965, Betty and Dick would purchase a cottage in West Dennis that would serve as the setting for several decades of precious memories with family and close friends. Once in retirement, they began to spend time in Florida and quickly settled in Venice and were delighted to be so close to many Canton friends in the area. They began a tradition as snowbirds that Betty continued for 20 years after Dick’s passing in 2006. Betty had many friends from church and the community center in Venice that she looked forward to seeing each winter when she returned.

Betty was endlessly talented at sewing and created countless Halloween costumes and outfits for her family throughout her life. Her handmade flags and curtains will continue to hang with pride at Smitty’s Homemade Ice Cream locations across the Cape. She was affectionately known as Grammy to her many grandchildren and enjoyed attending as many sporting events, musicals, concerts, and graduations as she could. Even at 90, Grammy could be found on the dance floor at any family wedding dancing with her grandchildren and modeling how to continue living life to the fullest.

Betty was the beloved wife of the late Richard J. Smith for 47 years. She was predeceased by her parents, Joseph and Helen Whitty, and her grandchildren Connor Joseph, Grace Louise, and Thomas Richard Smith.

She was the mother of Richard J. ‘Smitty’ of East Falmouth, Mary A. Finn and her partner, Thomas Landon, of Dennis, Elizabeth A. (Betty Ann) Barrera and her husband, William, of Franklin, Joseph W. Smith and his wife, Susan, of Canton, Gerard C. Smith and his wife, Marcia, of Harwich, and James B. Smith and his wife, Cathleen, of Somersworth, NH.

She is also survived by her grandchildren Kaleigh, Molly, Emily, Billy, Katie, Brendan, Kevin, Danny, Jacob, Sean, Graham, Audrey, Sam, Kate and Ben; three great-grandchildren; a beloved sister-in-law, Sister Eleanor Smith of St. Francis, WI; and a dear friend to the Smith family, Paul F. McClellan of Intervale, NH.

A funeral Mass was celebrated on Saturday in St. Oscar Romero Church in Canton. Interment St. Mary’s Cemetery. Arrangements by the Pushard Family Funeral Home, 210 Sherman Street.

Betty had a deep Catholic faith and in lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to The Sisters of Saint Francis Assisi (www.lakeosfs.org) in Betty’s memory.

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