Elizabeth "Betty" Heald

Elizabeth (Betty) Benton Maury Heald - of Paramus. pre-deceased by Sam P Maury, Jr, (Memphis, TN) and Philip B Heald (Hubbardston, MA). a graduate of Vanderbilt University, Betty was an educator, bicyclist, mountain climber, horticulturist and active environmentalist. While at River Dell Regional Schools she earned a NJ Mini-Grant for Innovations Environmental Education. In retirement she was active in and served as President of the Worcester Foundation for Biological Research Auxiliary, was elected to and served on the Hubbardston, MA Board of Health, became certified as a Master Gardner and served as a docent for Tower Hill Botanic Gardens. Upon returning to NJ she tutored for the Bergen Couny Special Services GED program. Born in Brooklyn, NY. She is survived by daughters: Barbara Gail Maury, San Francisco, CA; Lynn Maury, Zionsville, IN, son Alan Maury, Paramus; siblings: Jeanne Middlemass, CT, Robert Benton, Narragansett RI, and Judith Willbergh, Brick NJ; grandchildren: Allison, Luke, Frank, and Matthew Maury of Paramus. She served as Conservation Chair for the North Jersey Chapter of the Sierra Club lobbying in Washington, DC for the Clean Air Act and the Alaska Lands Bills. While serving on the River Edge Shade Tree Commission, she helped develop the Bergen County bicycle route through River Edge. Betty earned membership in the APPALACHIAN MT CLUB ‘s Northeast 111, the 100-Highest, the ADK-46ers, the Catskill 3500 Club (all in winter). For many years Ms. Heald and her husband Phil co-led a weeklong traverse across the Franconia and Presidential Ranges in New Hampshire. She loved living in Massachusetts with Phil on her Golden Pond and tending to her tree farm and garden. As a science teacher, avid naturalist and environmentalist, Betty influenced many of her students to carry on the mission of caring for our planet. At a later date, the family will hold a service where her family, friends, and students can celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to NY-NJ Trail Conference, 600 Ramapo Valley Rd, Mahwah, NJ 07430 or the Central Unitarian Church, 156 Forest Ave, Paramus, NJ 07652.

Elizabeth "Betty" Heald

May 21, 2018