Elizabeth "Betsy" Anne Shaw, 86, of Red Lion, slipped the surly bonds of earth and died peacefully at home early Saturday morning, May 11, 2024 as the aurora borealis blazed across the heavens. She was the life partner of Dr. Hollis G. Bedell for 39 years, marrying in 2015.

Betsy was born on January 2, 1938 in Lancaster to the late Ellis Rae and Rose Elizabeth (Nissley) Shaw. Growing up in Landisville, Betsy was always a precocious reader, skipping first grade and graduating from Hempfield High School in 1954. Anxious to get out in the world, she attended McGill University in Montreal and earned a BS and MS in Botany. She went further afield and obtained a PhD from the University of Adelaide in South Australia where she did field work in the outback. In later years, she was fond of recounting how she shook hands with Queen Elizabeth II at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens in the early 1960's. In the late 1960's Betsy returned to the states to a research position at the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University and soon was in charge of the Gray Card Index – a massive database of the New World plant names and was instrumental in computerizing the index and making it available in a way that has been described as "a major step in democratization of science." This sent her down the path of becoming an outstanding botanist-historian and bibliographic researcher of the history of botany, economic botany, the history of plant exploration, etc. She was a gifted teacher and speaker and had an unusual sense of humor. After retiring from Harvard, Betsy moved back home, settling in Martinsville where she became involved in local history – volunteering in the rare book room in the library, then the Historical Society of York County (now York County History Center). Betsy was a founding member of the Lower Windsor Area Historical Society and helped restore the Martinsville one room schoolhouse. She loved driving around the countryside botanizing and visiting historical sites. Betsy enjoyed volunteering at the book sales at the York County History Center and Craley Days and delivered meals-on-wheels for almost 20 years. She was highly articulate with a sharp sense of humor and a voracious reader.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be offered to the following organizations in Betsy's memory: Lancaster Conservancy, 117 S. West End Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17603, the York County History Center, 250 E. Market Street, York, PA 17403, Kaltreider-Benfer Library, 147 S. Charles Street, Red Lion, PA 17356 or to Hospice and Community Care – York Office, 235 St. Charles Way, York, PA 17402.