CANTON - Betsey DeWitt Matteson, 89, died peacefully at her home in Canton, NY on Thursday, January 25, 2023. Betsey Alice was born in Walton, NY on July 16, 1933, the second child of Deweese W. and Eleanor A. Randall DeWitt. Betsey attended public schools in Walton, NY and graduated from Kingston, NY High School in 1951. She graduated from Wheelock College in 1955 with a BS degree in Early Childhood Education.
In 1958 Betsey married Robert S. Matteson at the Dutch Reformed Church in Kingston, NY, after teaching Kindergarten in Fairfield, CT and Kindergarten as well as First Grade in the Town of Ulster. After moving to Norman, OK she taught 4-year-olds at the Home Economics Nursery, University of Oklahoma. When she moved to Canton, with her family, she taught from 1968 to 1971 in the Pre-K Program of Canton Central School.
Betsey worked at the Canton Free Library from 1977 to 1987 as a library assistant and enjoyed meeting and helping many members of the Canton community. She was a member of Grace Episcopal Church for over 30 years, serving on the vestry and participating on many committees as well as attending services with her family.
In retirement Betsey especially enjoyed reading family diaries and educating herself about the details of her family history. She first transcribed her maternal grandmother’s 1883 Diary which chronicled the death of two brothers from diphtheria and a baby brother from whooping cough. Then Betsey read her father’s diaries and records including scrapbooks, photo albums, ledgers and other information he kept for 73 years. She shared much of this information with her cousins and a daughter. This was an exciting project because she discovered new information about her family, and after reading these records she sent them to the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston, MA which collects early manuscripts.
Betsey is survived by her husband Bob of Canton; her children Alice (Michael) McElfresh of Livermore, CA, Jennifer Matteson of Worcester, MA and Howard (Kristina) Matteson of Florham, NJ; grandchildren Joshua, Sara, Benjamin, Connor, Melina and great grandson Theo.
A memorial service will be held on Monday, January 30, 2023 at 11 AM at Lawrence Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Canton with Rev. Martha Helmer officiating. Additional off-street parking is available behind “LUNA” at 18 Park Street.
An “Open House” will be held at the Matteson Home at a future date.
Charitable gifts may be made to any local organization of one’s choice.
Condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.lawrencefuneralhome.org
