Marjorie Aierstock Betts

Marjorie Hagans Groh Aierstock Betts went back to our Lord on May 6, 2019. She was born and raised in Strasburg, the daughter of Marguerite Sophia Dailey and Robert Earl Groh.

Marjorie graduated from Strasburg High School. Her father, then president of the Strasburg Board of Education, presented her diploma. She graduated from Linden Hall Junior College where she had been elected president of her class. In subsequent years she attended George Washington University. In 1941 she married Jacob Paul Aierstock, Sr., a graduate of Franklin and Marshall College.

During World War II she accompanied her husband to training schools in Norfolk, Boston, New York City, Miami, and San Francisco. She gave birth to her son, Jacob Paul Aierstock, Jr., in 1944, and her daughter, Susan Groh Aierstock in 1947.

During the Korean War she and her children accompanied her husband to Tokyo, Japan where her husband served for nearly four years as the briefing officer for the Far East Commander. During this period Marjorie served as the President of the Headquarters Wives Club.

After the Korean War, her husband was assigned to service in the Pentagon and the family moved to Arlington, VA. Marjorie served four years as Registrar of the Law School at George Washington University. From 1959-1964 she was a Licensed Real estate agent. From 1961-1976 she was the Administrative Assistant to the President of the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO), an international behavioral science organization. During that period she assisted the HumRRO president in the planning of the American Psychological Association Headquarters building in Washington D.C.

During her years in the Washington area she served as the founding president of the Arlington VA. Chapter of Pilot International, a service club for professional women modeled after Rotary International. She subsequently served as Lt. Governor and Governor of District 17 in the Northeastern United States. She also sang with the Arlington Metropolitan Chorus.

In 1977, Marjorie married Dr. Lee Betts and acquired two stepsons, Jon and Tim Betts. The family moved to Hesston, KS, where Lee was directing a nationwide educational program based at Hesston College.

Marjorie was an ordained deacon in the Presbyterian Church (USA). For over 30 years she has been a member of P.E.O., a national, philanthropic educational organization for women. She also served on several boards, including the Muscatine Art Center (IA), the Maryland Opera in Frederick (MD), and the Advisory Board of Little Children of the World, Inc., a Christian relief organization serving impoverished children and their families, primarily in the Philippines.

From 1980 to 1986 she served as the wife of President Lee Betts of Muscatine Community College, IA. From 1986 until 1998 Marjorie and Lee lived in Frederick, Maryland.

In 1989 Marjorie and Lee played a major role in introducing the community college movement to Eastern Europe colleges and universities. Immediately after the Iron Curtain came down in 1989, Marjorie and Lee, together with other college educators, traveled to Eastern European colleges and universities, introducing the community college concept to European educators.

During their lives, Marjorie and Lee traveled the world from the Far East to Europe. Upon their retirement in 1998, Marjorie and Lee Betts returned to Strasburg, PA. In December 2007, the Betts moved to Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community, Quarryville, PA. Dr. Betts passed away November 23, 2010.

Marjorie is survived by a son, Paul Aierstock and wife Annie; Stepsons Jon Betts and wife Maria, Tim Betts and wife Cindy; grandchildren; Kimberly Owens and husband Mark, Thomas Cook and wife Darla, Paul Aierstock III and wife Jennifer, Janice Miller and husband Jeff, Clara and Alex Betts, Jordan and Jessica Betts; and 7 Great Grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Susan Groh Aierstock Rynier.

A Celebration of Marjorie’s Life will be held on at 1:00 PM on Saturday, June 15, 2019 in the Ellingsworth Auditorium at the Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community, 625 Robert Fulton Highway, Quarryville, PA. The family will receive friends after the service. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Marjorie’s final interment and committal service on Sunday, June 16, 2109 at 1:00 PM in the Strasburg Cemetery, 20 West Franklin Street, Strasburg, PA

Please omit flowers. Kindly consider sending a contribution in Marjorie’s memory to Little Children of the World, Inc., P.O. Box 37,Barnesville GA 30204