Livengood, Betty Taylor (1930-2006)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2006 Aug 14 p. 8

Birth date: 1930 Aug 15

text of obituary:

BETTY T. LIVENGOOD

Betty T. Livengood, 75, of Keyser, W.Va., died May 22, 2006, after a long struggle with rheumatoid arthritis. She was born Aug. 15, 1930, to Thomas H. Taylor and Lillian (Osborne) Taylor in Galax, Va.

She was a member of Pinto (Md.) Mennonite Church, where she was a Sunday school and Bible school teacher, Bible study leader and acted as chair of the Christian education committee, drama committee and pastoral search committee. She served for 12 years on the Mennonite Board of Education, now Mennonite Education Agency, 1981-93, and as adjunct staff member from 1993-97. In Allegheny Mennonite Conference, she was a member of the executive committee and chair of the Christian education committee. She authored several articles for the former Builder periodical.

During her professional career, she was an elementary schoolteacher, supervisor of instruction, personnel director, staff development coordinator, county reading administrator, director of curriculum and director of general instruction for Mineral County Schools until her retirement in 1989. She served on the boards of the West Virginia Association for Curriculum and Development, as well as the National Association of Curriculum and Development. She was a presenter at many educational conferences, a consultant to area school systems and an adjunct instructor for West Virginia University. In 1985, she was the recipient of the West Virginia Leader of Learning award, West Virginia’s Department of Education’s highest award. She was known throughout the state as the “Mother of the Middle Schools” for her dedication to the concept and development of middle school education in West Virginia.

To honor her years of service and her numerous contributions to the field of education, the Betty T. Livengood Scholarship was established in 1993. This is awarded to students of Mineral County Schools who pursue a career in education.

Survivors include her husband of 59 years, Paul M. Livengood; a daughter, Judith L. Brenneman and her husband, Lawrence, of Keyser; a son, Paul T. Livengood and his wife, Janice, of Keyser; a sister, Norma J. Harsh of Keyser; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Thomas Howard Taylor Jr.

Funeral services were held at Pinto Mennonite Church. Burial was in Pinto Mennonite Cemetery.