Elizabeth A. Minter

Born Bette Bayer July 18, 1934 at Jane Case Hospital, Delaware, Ohio to Sarah Violet (Annette) Schreyer and Ralph Robertson Bayer.

Elizabeth grew up during the great depression and World War II, moving many times, attending five different high schools. She was with the first group of American dependents to go to Europe in September, 1946, living in Wiesbaden, Germany and traveling throughout Western Europe with her parents and friends. This was a history lesson that changed her life - the Berlin Blockade, the ruins of the cities, Normandy and Anzio Cemeteries, Dachau - traveling and seeing the way other people live, Rome, Paris, Prague, Copenhagen, Amsterdam.

She graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School 1952, and received a BS in Occupational Therapy at The Ohio State University in 1956, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, Mirrors and Chimes Honoraries.

She married Zane Wells Jones at Trinity Episcopal Church, Columbus, Ohio on December 21, 1956 and lived in the area for over 25 years. During that time she volunteered in the school systems that her five children attended as a parent community organizer, school board member, board and levy speaker, library developer, citizens advisory council and state programmer through the League of Women Voters.

After her divorce in 1982, she returned to Ohio State for an MA in English and worked in a variety of jobs as an OTR and teacher across the country; camping, living in youth hostels, driving long distances and participating in the Sierra Club, were ways she relaxed. On a summer trip in 1998 she visited Port Townsend, Washington and the following summer she decided to try it out as a possible retirement place. She met Russ that Fall in a book group.  ‘Perhaps Love’ was sung by Julie at their November 11, 2000 wedding at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. 

From childhood she was a fan of Brooklyn Dodgers, the Boston Red Socks, and the original Cleveland Browns and a Buckeye always.  

She began a library for herself before she went to school, then for her children and finally joining collections with Russ. Her garden was the way she connected with nature. Either a pot on a balcony or on half an acre. This time with Russ - sharing love, books, gardening, the sea, family and friends, was the necklace clasp - all life could give.

She is survived by her children -  Lori, Rick, Gordon and Keith, stepdaughters Laurel and Darcy, daughters-in-law Kathleen, Jennifer, Robin and Sandy, grandchildren Ashley, Andrew, Trent, Sophia, Clark, Schreyer, Miles and great granddaughter Rhea. 

She is preceded in death by her husband Russell Deane Minter, her son Zane Scott Jones, friends Anne Bradley Tyler, Janet Horning, Trudy Plummer, Janet Dallett, Donna Cheshier, and Jane Griffeth. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to any St. Vincent DePaul conference or a charity of your choice.