Elizabeth "Betty Jane" Marsh

Betty Jane (Elizabeth) Marsh went to be with the angels on January 10, 2026. She died peacefully at home with her family after a long illness.

Born September 23, 1927, in Pittston Township, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of the late Dominick and Johanna (Kanyock) Frushon.

Betty was a proud 1945 graduate of Pittston Township High School. Graduating was a major accomplishment, as she attended classes in the mornings and worked in the afternoons from the age of 13—first cleaning and babysitting for neighbors, and later working in the garment industry in Pittston.

She met her late husband, Edmund Marsh, at the Avoca Barbeque in 1945. They began their life together the following year in Avoca. Betty was a devoted mother to her three children—Rick, Jo Ann, and Lauren—and a loving “Nana” to her three grandchildren, Diana and Ted Marsh, and Bettina Johnson.

After the birth of her son in 1947, Betty began working for Mademoiselle Shoppe (later Bart’s Klothes Korner), where she became a well-known and beloved figure in Avoca. Many remember her artfully decorating the shop’s large window displays, carefully matching clothing and accessories, and personally ironing every item she placed on display. Known for her keen eye, she could guess your size just by looking at you. Betty adored her job and the people she met there, often saying that if the store had never closed, she might have worked there forever.

She formed many friendships through her work and her active involvement in community organizations, including the Women’s Club of Avoca—where she served as president, treasurer, and secretary multiple times during the club’s 30-year history—the TOPS Club of West Pittston, and the Avoca VFW Auxiliary 8335. She was also a long-time member of St. Joseph Marello Parish at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Pittston, and was previously a member of St. John the Baptist Church, Pittston.

Betty Jane loved to dance. She danced up a storm at her 90th birthday party, at church picnics, and at the Pittston Tomato Festival. She was a devoted fan of the band Flaxy Morgan, whose drummer, Richie Kossuth, she affectionately called her “adopted son.”

In addition to her parents, Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Edmund Marsh; son, Richard Marsh; great-granddaughters, Gabrielle Elizabeth and Eva Marie Johnson; and siblings Dominick Frushon, Jr., Elvira Bednash, Robert Frushon, and Ann Marie Werhan.

Surviving are her daughters, Jo Ann Johnson, Duryea, and Lauren Marsh, Avoca; granddaughters Diana Marsh, Exeter, and Bettina Johnson, Duryea; grandson Ted Marsh, Avoca; daughter-in-law Mary Marsh, Avoca; sister Elaine Harrison, Wilkes-Barre; and several nieces and nephews.

The family extends their sincere gratitude to the staff of Hospice of the Sacred Heart for their exceptional comfort and support during Betty’s final days. They would also like to thank Father Paul McDonnell and Father Joseph Elston for their continued compassion and love, which brought Betty peace and joy, and Dr. James Sheerer for his dedicated care and kindness—always ready with a reassuring hug.

Betty Jane always said, “God made arms for hugs,” and she never hesitated to open hers.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Joseph Marello Parish, Pittston, or Hospice of the Sacred Heart, Scranton.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in St. Joseph Marello Parish, 237 William Street, Pittston. The family will receive friends and relatives beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the church until the time of Mass. Entombment will follow in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Carverton.