Elizabeth Walbridge Obituary

Elizabeth Walbridge SUMMERVILLE - Elizabeth Margaret "Betty" Walbridge, 89, of Summerville, SC and formerly of Charleston, WV entered into eternal rest February 19, 2013 at Hallmark Healthcare Center, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease, surrounded by family. Born May 29, 1923, in Milwaukee, WI she was the daughter of the late Harriet and Herman Grulke. She graduated from Washington High School in 1941. During most of her life, Mrs. Walbridge was a homemaker. She was an excellent cook and loved baking in particular. Her other favorite pastimes included playing bridge, music (she loved to dance and was a long-time devotee and supporter of Mountain Stage), and good conversation. Following the death of her husband, Robert Preston Walbridge, Jr., in 1985, Mrs. Walbridge became active in volunteer efforts, serving as President of the West Virginia Symphony League in 1989-90, during the symphony's 50th anniversary year. The year included a concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and a reception hosted by Senator Jay Rockefeller. She also devoted a significant part of her spare time to visiting elderly friends and others confined to nursing homes, and periodically took courses at the University of Charleston. She especially enjoyed classes in comparative religion and the humanities. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Charleston, WV and the church's Rebekah Circle. Mrs. Walbridge will be sadly missed by her daughter, Penelope Walbridge Brandenburg and husband Robert of Summerville, SC; her son, Mark Robert Walbridge and wife Ann Bartuska of Washington, DC; grandchildren Timothy Brandenburg of Raleigh, NC; Jessica Walbridge and husband Fred Richardson of Arlington, VA; and Brian Brandenburg, wife Emily Sullivan, and great-grandchild Preston Brandenburg, all of Burgaw, NC. Mrs. Walbridge was predeceased by her husband and parents. A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, March 3, 2013 at 2:00 PM at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1600 Kanawha Boulevard East, Charleston, WV 25311. The family will receive friends following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her honor to the Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation, the Alzheimer's Association, or in support of Alzheimer's research, patients, and/or caregivers. Condolences can be sent to www.McAlister-Smith.com. Arrangements by McAlister-Smith Funeral Home, Goose Creek Chapel. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston