Jacqueline V. White

Jacqueline V. “Betsy” White, 83, died peacefully on December 31, 2019, at Chester County Hospital in West Chester.

Betsy, as she was affectionately known, was raised and educated in Charlotte, North Carolina. She graduated from Central High School in 1954. Betsy moved to Swarthmore in 1966, where she raised her family and earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Widener University. She also lived in Media, Atglen, and most recently Glen Mills. Betsy worked for the Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital and the Council for Relationships. 

Betsy was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who always put her family ahead of herself. Betsy loved her children and grandchildren fiercely and joyously. The legacy of her kind spirit, sense of humor, thirst for learning, love of reading, pottery, and poetry, and zest for life will live on through them. Betsy enjoyed traveling throughout Europe, particularly to London, Paris, Wales, and Florence. She loved the beach, gardening, vacationing in Maine, and visiting her family homes in Sweden and Greece. She was a youth leader for the Episcopal Youth Community, a Girl Scout leader, and loved her poetry and writing groups. She was a member of the Calvary St. Augustine Episcopal Church in Philadelphia and a former member of both the Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Parkesburg and Trinity Episcopal Church in Swarthmore. 

Betsy was the daughter of the late Spiros and Lib Villas, and sister of the late Milton and Thomas Villas.

Betsy is survived by her beloved husband of 35 years, the Rev. Hank White; her devoted children Edward (Janet), Michael (Elyse), Timothy, and Laurie Riggs; her stepchildren Andrea and Nathan White; her loving grandchildren Brian Riggs (Anne), Rachel Henriques (Bjorn), Tommy, Jake, and Kyle Riggs and Mason and Wyatt Maxwell; and her great-granddaughter Lily Riggs. Betsy is also survived by her sister-in-law Lynda Villas, one nephew, four nieces, and their families. 

Visitation will be Monday evening, January 6, 7 - 9 p.m., at the Nolan-Fidale Funeral Home, 5980 Chichester Ave., Aston, and Tuesday morning, January 7, 10 - 10:45 a.m. at Calvary St. Augustine Episcopal Church, 814 North 41st St., Philadelphia. 

A celebration of life will be held Tuesday morning, January 7, 11 a.m. at Calvary St. Augustine Episcopal Church. 

Burial will be in Forest Lawn West Cemetery, Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Memorial donations in Betsy’s name may be made to Calvary St. Augustine Episcopal Church, or to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at www.cff.org. 

Condolences: www.nolanfidale.com.