Betty Bernice Stretton, age 99, of Newtown, formerly of Westport, passed away Saturday, May 11, 2019, at Filosa Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Danbury, surrounded by her family. She is the widow of Thomas E. Stretton.

Betty was born May 27, 1919, in Omaha, Neb., a daughter of the late Walker and Bernice (Penland) Davis. She was a 1936 graduate of Glendale High School in Glendale, Calif., and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree from UCLA in 1940 and a Master’s Degree from USC in 1942. Betty served in the WAVES during World War II, stationed at the Naval base in Pensacola, Fla., as a Control Tower Operator. It is here that she met her future husband, Thomas Stretton, a Navy pilot. They married at Pensacola on December 1, 1944. She was employed for a time as librarian at Rockland Community College in Suffern, N.Y. Betty has been a resident of Connecticut since 1977, when she moved to Westport and was a member of the Greens Farms Congregational Church. She liked reading, gardening, and studying history. Betty loved learning different languages, making her seven years living in Taiwan and Tokyo most enjoyable.

Betty is survived by two daughters, JoAnne Stretton of Newtown and Bernice Stretton Slater and partner, Ross Uhlfelder, of Staatsburg, N.Y.; her son, Thomas E. Stretton, Jr, and wife, Shelby, of Long Valley, N.J.; four grandchildren, Jessica Stretton and partner, Brian MacMillan, of Manhattan, Kendra Slater Venhorst and husband, Matthew, of Simsbury, Douglas Slater and wife, Kara, of West Simsbury, and Stephanie Slater of Boston, Mass.; two step-grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

She is predeceased by two sons, Frederick and James Stretton.

A graveside service will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2019, in the Willowbrook Cemetery, Westport, at 1 pm.

Memorial may be made to the World Wildlife Fund at [naviga:u]worldwildlife.org[/naviga:u].

To light a candle or leave an online condolence, please visit [naviga:u]hullfuneralservice.com[/naviga:u].