Betty Wertz

Warfordsburg, Pennsylvania

Betty Ann Wertz, age 85, of Warfordsburg, Pa., passed from her earthly life to eternal life late Friday night, July 31, 2020 at the Valley Health Hospital, in Berkeley Springs, W.Va.

Born June 19, 1935 in Hancock, Md., she was the daughter of the late Edward, Sr. and Edith (Henry) Unger; and the widow of Marlis Lee Wertz, who died in 1996.

Several folks from Hancock recalled and mentioned little Betty Ann as she pushed her pet duck “Donald” up and down the streets in a baby buggy while her long curls bounced up and down. When World War 11 ended, a victory parade was held in Hancock. Betty’s mother, Edith, sewed a red, white, and blue cape and bonnet for Donald, decorated the buggy, and Betty Ann proudly pushed him through the parade as he quacked with joy the entire time.

She attended Warfordsburg High School, and was a graduate of the Berea College, where she majored in writing and liberal arts. She began her career as a typesetter for The Hancock News in the early 1960’s. She wrote editorials for the paper from 1980 through 2015. She also wrote articles for Yesteryears Treasures, The Tri-State Treasurers, and others.

She was active in the church, serving as the church musician in the late 1950’s. She served in several churches in the Berkeley Springs and Hancock area. She was currently a member of the Orchard Ridge First Church of God, in Hancock. She was the founder of Penn/Starr Productions, writing, co-writing, and producing numerous Christian plays along with her son, Danny, and granddaughter, Stephanie. She was co-owner of the Christian Book Store in Hancock during the early 1970’s.

She is survived by two children, Barbara Wertz, of Portland, Maine, and Daniel Wertz and his wife, Kay, of Warfordsburg, Pa.; one sister, Marian (Unger) McCray, of Hancock; one brother, Jack Unger, of Silver Springs, Md.; and three grandchildren, Stephanie (Wertz) Mellott and her husband, Jason, of Hagerstown, Md., Jeremy Wertz and his wife, Leisha (Bronniman) Wertz, of Huntington, Pa., and Anthony Wertz, of Warfordsburg, Pa.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by three sisters, Virginia (Unger) Opincar, Jane (Unger) Wertz, and June (Unger) Shives; and two brothers, Edward Unger, Jr. and Herbert “Bud” Unger.

Her burial will be private, at the discretion of the family. A Celebration of Life service, to be held at the Orchard Ridge First Church of God, in Hancock, will be announced at a later date.

Arrangements were entrusted to the Grove Funeral Home, in Hancock, Md. Online condolences will be accepted at www.grovefh.com