Betty A. Markwood

Betty Ann Markwood, 75, of 215 South Juliana Street, Bedford, went on to be with her Lord, Savior, and Ultimate Healer on Saturday morning, December 19, 2009.  Following a lengthy illness, she passed away in Bedford Memorial Hospital’s Hospice Care Unit.  Betty was born September 18, 1934 in Cumberland, Maryland, daughter of the late Emery Robert “Barney” Barnhart and Wanetta “Neen” (Ayers) Barnhart.  She married Ronald Lee Markwood on June 28, 1958, at the Bedford United Methodist Church. He survives along with two children, Elyse Ann, wife of Dennis Murphy of Bedford and Angela Lynn, wife of Les Logsdon of Naples, Florida; four grandchildren: Heather Lynn and Aubrie Erin Murphy, and Brittany Elizabeth and Lucas Steven Logsdon in addition to numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews and one sister Carolyn Barnhart of Bedford.  She was preceded in death by one brother Robert Barnhart married to Janie of Bedford.

Mrs. Markwood was a 1952 graduate of Bedford High School and a 1956 graduate of Penn State University where she earned her BS in Business Administration.  An extremely accomplished student, Betty received countless awards and accolades including induction into the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society for Accredited Business Programs, the Phi Chi Theta Women’s Professional Business Sorority, (where she served as President), the Pi Gamma Mu Honorary Social Science Fraternity, the Phi Kappa Phi Honorary Fraternity and the Theta Sigma Phi Journalism Fraternity.  She was a staff member for the WDFM University Radio Station, served on the Penn State Student Council and was in the college’s Management Club.  Betty received the Wall Street Journal Award for scholarship, character, leadership and service plus the Helen Aiken Eisenhower Award, the highest award bestowed in the Penn State School of Business.

Following college, Betty was a buyer for Horne’s Department Store in Pittsburgh.  She then worked as a student recruiter and business-machines instructor for Burrough’s Business School, also in Pittsburgh.  After marrying her high school sweetheart, she spent 1958-1961 as an “army wife” while her husband served in the Army Medical Service Corps at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.  Following that tour of duty, she returned to Bedford and worked as her husband’s Office Manager in their optometric practice for twenty-six years.  She was also the “wind beneath the wings” of her husband, providing prayer support in his numerous endeavors.  Betty was amazingly patient and tolerant.

A member of the Bedford United Methodist Church, she served on practically every committee in the church, including being a long-time Sunday School teacher and helping her husband to lead a Thursday evening interdenominational prayer meeting and Bible study. Betty was instrumental in pioneering her church’s Children’s Outreach Ministry which helped to provide needy children with clothing and school supplies before the fall start of school and additional clothing and toys again at Christmas time. Betty always considered her greatest achievement to be when she dedicated her life to the Lord on November 17, 1971.  Primarily she had been a very active witness for the Lord, leading many into a saving knowledge of Christ. Countless believers in our community considered Betty to be a spiritual parent, prayer warrior and the epitome of love-in-action, not counting the cost. Betty will be fondly remembered as a devout Christian, devoted wife, loving mother, and caring grandmother who will be dearly missed by all who loved her.

Friends will be received at the Timothy A. Berkebile Funeral Home in Bedford on Tuesday, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. The Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at the Bedford United Methodist Church with Rev. Jeffrey Welsch officiating. On Wednesday morning, friends may also visit with the family one hour prior to the service at the church. Our online guest book is available at www.berkebilefuneralhome.com. Memorial contributions may be made to the Bedford Food Bank Outreach, P.O. Box 324, Bedford, PA 15522, in her memory.