Obituary for Elisabeth Susan "Betty" Bland
Elisabeth Susan Heater (Betty) Bland, 98, of Winter Haven, Florida, passed away on December 12, 2020, in Winter Haven.
Betty was born in Weston, West Virginia, to H. Clyde and Fay O. (White) Heater on August 14, 1922. She graduated from Weston High School in 1938, attended Glenville Normal for two years, and graduated from Marshall College in 1942 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. On July 19, 1944, she married George Linn Bland, Jr., after she had fallen hopelessly in love with him at the tender age of five. She taught English and French at Jane Lew High School in the 1950’s, and following that, occasionally stepped in as a substitute teacher. While she enjoyed teaching, her true passions were baking, sewing, and with her husband, being a fixture at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
Betty inherited her considerable baking skills from her mother. Her pepperoni rolls and salt-rising bread were in high demand at local bake sales, and her salt-rising bread always had an impressive stink. Store-bought bread was forbidden in the Bland household; there was always a supply of homemade potato bread in the freezer. When a furnace fire filled the house with smoke, fire fighters from the Weston Volunteer Fire Department zeroed in on the smell of freshly baked bread while they easily extinguished the fire. Needless to say, Betty handsomely rewarded them with a hot loaf.
A formidable seamstress, she largely taught herself from the age of eight. Around 1952, she purchased a Singer 301 sewing machine – the first thing she ever bought on credit and was terrified – which served her well until around 1980, when she upgraded to an early computerized Bernina machine. No pattern was too difficult for Betty – she produced casual wear, to formal wear, to costumes, some with intricate detail. She even humored her youngest daughter, Janis, by making “tribbles” from Star Trek. Her two older daughters inherited her skills in the form of long-arm quilting (Linn) and weaving (Ann).
Raised a Presbyterian, Betty found a home in the Episcopal Church and was confirmed at the age of 16, along with her father. Betty and George remained active at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Weston, serving in the choir, altar guild, vestry, and on Betty’s part, some dandy coffee hours. When they decided to retire from those roles (except the coffee hour treats), they held down the third pew from the front, Gospel side. Betty continued to hold down the pew until her move to Florida in 2015.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, her parents, and two brothers, George W. Heater and James B. Heater. She is survived by four children, Linn M. (LeRoy) Buell, Dr. James E. Bland and wife Christy Liming, Elisabeth Ann (Danny) Luzader, and Janis D. Bland and husband David Pineda. Also surviving are six grandchildren, Whitney and Lauren Bland; Matthew and Jonathan (Sherise) Buell; Nathan (Cristian) Luzader; and Mary (Donald) Bordenkircher; four great grandsons, Gunner Luzader; Wesley Kelly; Liam Bordenkircher; and Remington Buell; one great granddaughter, Dahlia Buell, and niece Sarah Jane (Jacob) Huffman.
In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 206 E. 2nd St., Weston, WV 26452.
Out of an abundance of caution due to the COVID-19 pandemic there will be no visitation. A family graveside service and burial will be held at the Lewis County Memorial Gardens in Weston, with Reverend John Valentine officiating. A memorial service may be planned once COVID-19 restrictions lift. Online condolences and life stories in memory of Betty may be expressed at hardmanfamilyfuneralhome.com.
Hardman Family Funeral Home of Weston, WV considers it an honor and privilege to serve the family of Elisabeth Susan Heater (Betty) Bland.
Betty was born in Weston, West Virginia, to H. Clyde and Fay O. (White) Heater on August 14, 1922. She graduated from Weston High School in 1938, attended Glenville Normal for two years, and graduated from Marshall College in 1942 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. On July 19, 1944, she married George Linn Bland, Jr., after she had fallen hopelessly in love with him at the tender age of five. She taught English and French at Jane Lew High School in the 1950’s, and following that, occasionally stepped in as a substitute teacher. While she enjoyed teaching, her true passions were baking, sewing, and with her husband, being a fixture at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
Betty inherited her considerable baking skills from her mother. Her pepperoni rolls and salt-rising bread were in high demand at local bake sales, and her salt-rising bread always had an impressive stink. Store-bought bread was forbidden in the Bland household; there was always a supply of homemade potato bread in the freezer. When a furnace fire filled the house with smoke, fire fighters from the Weston Volunteer Fire Department zeroed in on the smell of freshly baked bread while they easily extinguished the fire. Needless to say, Betty handsomely rewarded them with a hot loaf.
A formidable seamstress, she largely taught herself from the age of eight. Around 1952, she purchased a Singer 301 sewing machine – the first thing she ever bought on credit and was terrified – which served her well until around 1980, when she upgraded to an early computerized Bernina machine. No pattern was too difficult for Betty – she produced casual wear, to formal wear, to costumes, some with intricate detail. She even humored her youngest daughter, Janis, by making “tribbles” from Star Trek. Her two older daughters inherited her skills in the form of long-arm quilting (Linn) and weaving (Ann).
Raised a Presbyterian, Betty found a home in the Episcopal Church and was confirmed at the age of 16, along with her father. Betty and George remained active at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Weston, serving in the choir, altar guild, vestry, and on Betty’s part, some dandy coffee hours. When they decided to retire from those roles (except the coffee hour treats), they held down the third pew from the front, Gospel side. Betty continued to hold down the pew until her move to Florida in 2015.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, her parents, and two brothers, George W. Heater and James B. Heater. She is survived by four children, Linn M. (LeRoy) Buell, Dr. James E. Bland and wife Christy Liming, Elisabeth Ann (Danny) Luzader, and Janis D. Bland and husband David Pineda. Also surviving are six grandchildren, Whitney and Lauren Bland; Matthew and Jonathan (Sherise) Buell; Nathan (Cristian) Luzader; and Mary (Donald) Bordenkircher; four great grandsons, Gunner Luzader; Wesley Kelly; Liam Bordenkircher; and Remington Buell; one great granddaughter, Dahlia Buell, and niece Sarah Jane (Jacob) Huffman.
In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 206 E. 2nd St., Weston, WV 26452.
Out of an abundance of caution due to the COVID-19 pandemic there will be no visitation. A family graveside service and burial will be held at the Lewis County Memorial Gardens in Weston, with Reverend John Valentine officiating. A memorial service may be planned once COVID-19 restrictions lift. Online condolences and life stories in memory of Betty may be expressed at hardmanfamilyfuneralhome.com.
Hardman Family Funeral Home of Weston, WV considers it an honor and privilege to serve the family of Elisabeth Susan Heater (Betty) Bland.