Sadly, Betsy Hitchings Hampton, 78, of Newport, VT passed away on June 12, 2025 after a cancer recurrence. Betsy lived a life filled with vitality, humor, and purpose, and she had a big impact on every person she met.

Betsy was born on October 23, 1946 in Buffalo, NY to Frank and Jane Hitchings and grew up in East Aurora, NY, along with her brother Jim and many other close relatives. She met her husband Brian while attending the University of Tennessee, and they wed in December 1968, then moved to northern Vermont, renovating a summer camp on Lake Memphremagog to create a beautiful home for their children, Ross and Tracy.

Despite having no business background, Betsy opened a popular Vermont gift store, Sweet Adaline's, in the 1980s, which thrived on Newport's Main Street for many years. She rescued countless animals, from cats and dogs to horses and geese, and was instrumental in creating the Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter in Orleans. She enjoyed singing in church choirs, delivering meals to residents, and of course cheering on her Buffalo Bills, win or lose. They usually lost.

If you needed to describe Betsy in one word, it would be "Generous". Even with simple things like sending out birthday cards to seemingly everyone she ever met, she was someone who spoke with her actions. Betsy didn't wait for someone else to do it....she would figure out what needed to be done and did it herself.

Betsy was predeceased by her parents and brother. She is survived by her husband Brian, her children Ross (Susan) and Tracy (Steve), and her grandchildren Kylie, Luke, and Reed Hampton and Addie and Nate Birmingham.

Donations in her memory can be made to the Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter.

A celebration of her life will be planned for a future date.