Betsy Hurst Piper left us too early on Oct. 25, 2023 at her winter home in Spring Hill, Fla. John Cotter, her husband of nine years, and Rascal, a rescued Boston terrier mix, never left her side. Betsy had been courageously battling throat cancer since last year, before coming down with pneumonia and COVID.
Betsy was born May 21, 1954 in Newton Wellesley, Mass., the daughter of James and Margaret (Hurst) Piper. She grew up in Dover, Mass. and graduated from Dover-Sherborn High School in 1972 starring in field hockey and softball, and Denison University in 1976 where she was a vice president of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Betsy joined her father’s business, Piper Associates, working there until founding her own company, Tech Plus Inc., in 1981, becoming one of the few female owners in the rep business while earning many accolades along the way.
She lived in Needham, Mass. before moving to Damariscotta, in 2004 where she owned Town Line Video & Convenience Store, growing the business to include truck rentals, beer/wine, and takeout chicken and pizza. Betsy also brought along her “Heritage Coons” Maine coon cat breeding and show operation and a rescue center for Coon cats. She and John later owned a motel in the area.
In addition to crop and tree farming, she welcomed snow mobile racing to her 80 acre property, which became a huge winter/summer event. She was very involved in local high school sports, providing pizza to be sold at games. Betsy and John retired to Spring Hill, Fla. in 2021. Her greatest love was family including: sister, Gwen and her husband, Kenny Melia, of North Kingstown, R.I.; James (Jr.) and his wife, Rhonda Piper, of Ashby, Mass.; Cindy Piper, of Phillipston, Mass.; Randy and his wife, Lisa Piper, of Somerville; nine nieces and nephews; six grandnieces and grandnephews; and numerous cousins. Betsy enjoyed tennis, pickleball, riding her motorcycle with John, the New England Patriots, and puzzles. Her energy, passion, and generosity left a special place in the hearts of all her family, friends, and anyone she met.
A special celebration of life is being held at the Rockland Elks Lodge on Nov. 18, starting at 11 a.m. Burial will be private in Glenwood Cemetery, South Natick, Mass. next to her beloved grandparents, Samson and Grace Hurst, and her mother, Margaret H. Piper.
