Elizabeth "Betsy" Wade Whitehead

Elizabeth Wade “Betsy” Whitehead, of Cambridge formerly of Scituate, Newton and a lifelong summer resident of West Yarmouth, died at her home on Wed Dec 1, 2010.
A graduate of Mahwah (NJ) High School she earned a BA in Economics from Mount Holyoke College (1968) and a Masters in City and Regional Planning from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government (1981). During Betsy’s 18-year career in Public Finance at BayBank and BankBoston she played an executive leadership role in municipal finance including a leading staff role on the 1990 "Crozier Commission" tasked by Gov. Dukakis to recommend solutions to the state's fiscal crisis. From 2000 to 2006 Betsy led Finance and Administration at the Union of Concerned Scientists. An active Episcopalian, Betsy served Grace Church in Newton for over 30 years as well as the Episcopal City Mission and other charities. She also was active in the Hyannis Park Civic Association and was a past President of the Scituate League of Women Voters. An avid sailor and gardener Betsy treasured time with family on Cape Cod and the lively conversation of her book group.
Betsy was the beloved wife of George A.N. Whitehead, loving mother of Elizabeth Louise Churchill of Arlington, George Richards Churchill III of Elmhurst IL, Jonathan Wade Churchill of Boxboro and Marcia Eaton Whitehead of Cambridge, the dear sister of Margaret Jacobs of Center Barnstead NH, Marcia Wade of NY,NY, Mary Jo Wade of Noti, OR, Marjorie Paddock of Vienna, VA, Robert Wade of Haddonfield, NJ and the late Richard Wade, and grandmother of Ethan, Elliott, Julian, Leo, Tynan, Charlotte, Maeve and Reed.
A memorial service will be held on Sat Dec 4 at 2 PM in Grace Episcopal Church 76 Eldredge St. Newton Corner.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to VNA Hospice Care 100 Sylvan Rd., Suite G-500, Woburn, MA 01801 or Breast Cancer Research at MGH, c/o Dr. Lydia Schapira, 55 Fruit St. Boston, MA 02114.
To share a memory of Betsy please visit www.eatonandmackay.com.

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