Betsy Serafin

Betsy Serafin, 78, of Boulder, passed away peacefully on January 28, 2015 in Louisville, Colorado. Betsy was born to Karl and Laura Ann Furgerson on February 7, 1936 in Madisonville, Kentucky. Betsy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech and Theater from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and a Masters degree in Religious Studies from Mundelein College in Chicago, Illinois. While at Northwestern, she spent one year abroad, studying at the University of Geneva where she became fluent in French and developed a strong affinity for travel and languages. Betsy’s fluency in French afforded her the opportunity to work as a stewardess for Pan American World Airways for one year at the birth of the jet aircraft age, traveling extensively to Europe, Asia, and Africa. Betsy and Bob were married on March 4, 1961 in Saint Lambert’s Catholic Church in Skokie, Illinois. They took a two-month honeymoon in Europe which began a life of travel together. They lived near Chicago until moving to Boulder with their four children in 1973. Her greatest loves were of God, her Catholic faith, and family. She worked as a Volunteer Chaplain for Boulder Community Hospital for many years. She was an expert in comparative religions and in 1997 published her book “The Rose of Five Petals,” which describes her mystical path toward oneness with God. Betsy was an active member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Boulder and became a Lay Franciscan of the Third Order. She served on the Board of Directors for the Serra Club of Boulder County and on the Board of the Colorado Music Festival. She was never without one or more books and became an expert on world religions always focusing on their similarities. She knew the Bible cover to cover. She taught a course on comparative religions at the University of Colorado. Her teaching, speaking and writing brought her in contact with many in the religious world. She discussed faith with Rabbis, Monks, Protestant Ministers, and of course many Catholic Priests. She meditated with the Buddhists as far away as Japan. She danced with the Sufis. She also met in New York in a private audience with the Dalai Lama. Betsy loved people from all walks of life from Congressmen and CEO’s, to the poor and homeless. Balancing her life were many physical activities including cycling, skiing, gardening, and hiking. She climbed Longs Peak at the age of 65. Betsy is survived by her husband, Bob; children, Kathy Lehew, Jenifer Kennedy, Joe Serafin and Randi Albright; grandchildren, Rachel and Matthew Serafin, John and Jake Lehew, Sam and Tess Kennedy and Charles and Ann Albright. She was preceded in death by her grandson, Nathan and siblings Martha MacLeod and Ross Fox. Visitation will be on Thursday, February 5, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, with Recitation of the Rosary at 6:30 PM at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday, February 6 at 10:00 AM also at Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sacred Heart Church is located at the Corner of Mapleton and 14th Streets in Boulder. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Serra Club of Boulder County (checks may be sent to Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, 2312 14th St., Boulder, CO 80304) or the Sacred Heart of Jesus School Foundation to benefit the Betsy F. Serafin Scholarship fund (checks may be sent to Greenwood & Myers Mortuary, 2969 Baseline Road, Boulder, CO 80303).

Betsy’s Eulogy
Written by Kathy Serafin Lehew
Read by Kathy, Jenny, Joe and Randi


In thinking of mom today, maybe the most important thing to remember, is that not only was she not afraid of death, but she relished the idea. She loved life, but was always certain that what waited beyond would be orders of magnitude better.

Mom had a lot to love about life. She grew up the doted upon youngest child of a single mother in Kentucky. Life there was slow and easy. At 16 she was swept from Kentucky by her lovely older sister into the life of private schools and country clubs on Chicago’s north shore. When mom went to Northwestern, she looked through the class book, found the only majors not requiring any math and science, and studied Speech and Theater. Although a scholar at heart, the stories we always heard from those years were about the future celebrities she dated (Warren Beatty), the life-long sorority friends, and the antics from the year she spent in Switzerland, speaking French, learning to ski and travelling in a VW bug, but not really going to school.

Out of school, mom’s first job was as a stewardess for Pan Am. She travelled to Europe, Asia and Africa, shared a New York apartment with other stewardesses, and hung out in coffee shops… all very glamorous.

As charmed as her life was, inevitably she met the perfect match and married her best friend’s brother in 1961. They proved the rule that opposites attract.
• Mom couldn’t do math, so she married an engineer.
• Mom was liberal, dad conservative.
• Dad is sometimes slow to make decisions; mom always knew exactly what she wanted (and, of course, what he wanted too).
• Mom completed tasks the minute they came up. Dad is the procrastinator.
• Anyone who knew mom knows she had a wonderful sense of humor. Dad sometimes got her jokes.

They did have much in common.
• Both of them loved to travel, and dad’s job gave them the opportunity to travel the world.
• They both loved to ski, bicycle, be with friends and entertain.
• They’re both deeply spiritual and religious people.
• They loved and adored each other, their children, grandchildren, relatives and friends completely.

Mom was never afraid of anything, and no project was too big.
• She took four teenagers (us) to Europe one summer, bought a Vanagon, and we camped and hostelled our way across the continent. Dad showed up about 5 weeks in, and then we got to stay in hotels.
• At one point, to our dismay, we discovered our basement had been converted into a worm farm – fearless.
• She designed houses, published a book, wrote several others, traveled alone to the Middle East, climbed mountains and wrote songs.

Mom had more of a knack for making friends than anyone I’ve known.
• She could run into McGuckin’s for a nail and come out telling me the cashier was coming to dinner. No, she hadn’t met her before, why would I ask?
• She would leave an airplane invariably knowing the life story of whomever she was seated next to. Concerned for the well being of one college drop-out who she thought to be a struggling musician, Mom offered words of encouragement to the Eagle’s lead singer Glenn Frey at the end of a flight, "You know, it’s never too late to go back to school."

Mom was incredibly generous (almost to a fault).
• It was normal to come home and find some stray person sharing your bedroom, or greeting you at breakfast. Some stayed overnight, some for months. She adopted people the way others adopt cats.
• Thanksgiving dinners were often made interesting by the number of strangers in the house.


Above all, mom was a deeply spiritual and religious person. She had a master’s degree in Religious Studies from Mundelein College, and spent much of her life studying comparative, and what some might call “alternative” religions. Although a devout Catholic, no New-Age idea was too far fetched. Her house held crosses and statues of Mary and St. Francis in close contact with Buddhas. There were stages where crystals and pyramids were abundant. She meditated for weeks at Zen retreats, danced with the Suffis and whirled with the Dervishes. Her studies and work brought her in contact with countless priests, authors and theologians. One scheduled 5 minute interview with the Dalai Lama in New York turned into a 45 minute nose to nose conversation that profoundly affected her…as she has profoundly affected so many, especially us.


So on the eve of her 79th birthday, as we say goodbye to Mom, remember that she was in full agreement with Albus Dumbledore, who declared, “death is but the next great adventure.”