Elizabeth, or Betty as her friends and family referred to her, grew up in Milford, Massachusetts with her four sisters. Milford was a rural town when Betty was growing up and Betty described her childhood as one spent “swinging in branches, skating, skiing, [and] gathering flowers on the many acres surrounding us.” Her mother died in childbirth when Betty was only seven years old. Her father took an active role in raising his girls, along with help from his older sister. He believed in equal opportunities for girls in school athletic programs and he encouraged his daughters to pursue sports, as well as education.

Betty credited her artistic interest to her father, whom she remembered sketching flowers and plants for her. Betty graduated from Milford High School, winning prizes in art. She went on to attend Massachusetts School of Art (now College of Art and Design) where she met Tony. After graduation she worked in New York City briefly in advertising design, then returned to Massachusetts and found work drawing for a newspaper and in a print shop.

Betty and Tony married in 1941 and moved to Marblehead. Anthony, Jr. was born in 1943. Tony left soon after to serve in World War II. While Tony was serving overseas, Betty took his place at Forbes Lithograph and her aunt moved in to help take care of Anthony, Jr. After her husband returned from the war, Betty is said to have found the transition from working to full-time homemaking difficult. She joined the Folly Cove Designers in 1948 and gave birth to her second son, Paul, in 1949.

Betty mentioned going to Virginia’s house on first wanting to join FCD and being somewhat daunted by Virginia’s  ‘No visitors’ sign. Afterwards they found a welcoming community, with annual gatherings, dance.

Betty immersed herself in her design work, completing the laborious homework, which culminated in over a dozen designs. Several of Elizabeth’s designs were chosen for inclusion in seminal craft exhibitions and her design Turtles is part of the permanent collection of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City. Her design Wings was published in the New York Times in 1957, alongside many mid-century designs, including work by famed textile artist Alexander Girard.

When her boys were older, Betty returned to school and earned her bachelor of arts in education. She went on to teach at Lasell Junior College (now Lasell University) in Newton, Massachusetts from 1970-1985. She taught studio art and design, rising to the level of associate professor. She continued to pursue ceramics, using a kiln at Lasell and eventually another at home. She also explored weaving and fiber arts.