Obituary of Bruce Barton Betz

Bruce Barton Betz, 76, of South Orange died on Monday, May 26, 2008, in St. Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral service at the First Presbyterian and Trinity Church, South Orange, (corner of Irvington Ave. and South Orange Ave.), on Saturday, May 31 at 11 a.m. Interment is private. Visitation will be held at the Preston Funeral Home, 153 South Orange Ave., South Orange, on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 to 10:15 a.m. For more information or to send condolences, please visit prestonfuneralhome.net. Born in Irvington, Mr. Betz lived in West Orange before moving to South Orange 35 years ago. He received a B.A. in the classics from Bloomfield College and attended graduate school in Edinburgh, Scotland. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was a social studies teacher at Heritage Junior High School in Livingston from 1963 to 1998 before retiring. He wrote and published a book of poetry, In Close Proximity, and completed a novel, Rivers Flow, The Mountains Remain. An elder and deacon, Mr. Betz taught Sunday School at the First Presbyterian and Trinity Church, South Orange, and volunteered for the Interfaith Hospitality Network, which provides shelter and food for homeless families. He was the beloved father of Ian and Natasha Betz; loving grandfather of Logan, Hunter, Lily, and Elijah Betz, and Jacob Betz Moroz; dear brother of Lois Freeman, Joan Schweitzer and Nancy Rochele. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Christian Childrens Fund, P.O. Box 26507, Richmond, Va. 23261 would be appreciated.