Elizabeth "Betty" Mary Roden

Elizabeth Mary Roden (10/29/1934)

Betty Roden (Elizabeth Mary Hoyt-Roden) lived a life dedicated to community, faith and family. She passed away peacefully on April 20, 2022, in the excellent care of Solaris HealthCare Merritt Island, FL.

She was born October 29, 1934, the third child of eight, to Earle J. Hoyt and Elizabeth M. (Finnegan) Hoyt in Wilmington, Delaware. Betty graduated from St. Agnes School, Rockville Centre, NY, C.W. Post (LIU), and SUNY Cortland, ultimately receiving her Master's in Home Economics. She married Bob (Robert M.) Roden, deceased, in 1963 and they made their first home together in Seaford, NY. Betty and Bob moved their young family to Fort Pierce, FL In 1972 where she taught Home Economics at Dan McCarty Middle School for over 25 years. In retirement, she devotedly cared for Bob, her husband who suffered from early on-set dementia, until his death. She then traveled widely with her sister Nancy.

She is survived by her children, Gerald T. (Jerry) Roden (FL), Dave (Tracy Boylan) Roden (IL), and Mary Beth (Shawn) Corley (FL), grandchildren Brice, Emma, Brennan, Patrick, and Kathryn, sisters Peggy (Margaret) Minnick (NY, Husband, Bill), and Jane Kearns (FL, husband Tom, deceased), brothers John Hoyt (FL), and Paul (Maryann) Hoyt (MD), and over 30 nieces and nephews from the Roden and Hoyt families.

She was predeceased by her husband Bob, sisters Nancy Murray (Edward), and Mary Ellen Hoyt, and brother Earle Hoyt.

Betty raised her children to see and live the Love of Christ through word and service. She taught countless young people in St. Lucie County the basic skills to survive independently, care for children, and build successful households. Betty and Bob brought Marriage Encounter to South Florida and guided married couples to develop a closer, deeper and more satisfying marriage, while strengthening their relationship with God. She handmade numerous dresses, shirts and blouses, leisure suits, sundresses, rompers, quilts, decorative pillows, bed-sets, baptismal gowns and First Holy Communion dresses. She lobbied for funding for senior care and dementia research, was instrumental in establishing the Adult Day Care Center in Ft. Pierce and served as a board member for Alzheimer's Community Care.

A Funeral Mass will be held on May 2, 2022, at 10:00 AM at Saint Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, 924 Zephyr Ave, Fort Pierce, FL followed by the Rite of Committal at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Ft. Pierce, FL. The family requests that memorials be directed to Alzheimer’s Community Care ( www.alzcare.org ) or The Alzheimer's Association (alz.org).