Elizabeth Gladys Ferguson (1944-2024) – "Betsy" Norris Ferguson, 79, passed away peacefully on June 20th after a long and brave battle with cancer. She spent her final days at her beloved camp "Onawa" in Weld, Maine, surrounded by family and enjoying the view of Webb Lake that she treasured so much. The fourth of eight children, Betsy was born on June 29th, 1944, to Ruth and Charlie Norris in Rumford, ME. She grew up in Dixfield and went to Dirigo High School ('62) where she excelled in the classroom and at field hockey. She attended the University of Maine ('66) and majored in Business Management. After graduating, Betsy moved to New Orleans and took her first job with John Hancock Insurance. It was in New Orleans that she met her first husband Jim Ferguson, who was playing for the New Orleans Saints football team at the time. From there they moved to Atlanta, Chicago and then to Los Angeles following Jim's football career, while Betsy continued her own career with John Hancock. In 1972, Besty and Jim moved back East to start a family. Shanda was born in Webster, MA in 1973 and Jethro less than two years later in nearby Putnam, CT. Following the Norris family Sporting Camp tradition, Betsy and family moved to Fort Kent, ME and took over Eagle Lake Camps. Betsy single-handedly ran the camps - cooking and cleaning for guests with children literally tied to her ankles – while Jim was guiding hunters in the woods. After separating from Jim, Betsy moved to Torrington, CT as a single parent and re-joined John Hancock. In addition to being recognized as a top insurance agent and working her way up to office manager, she was also an active Cub Scout and Brownie Leader for her children. Several years later, she and Jim briefly reconciled and decided they wanted to escape the monotony of a 9-5 job and get back into the woods. They moved back to Maine in 1985 and bought another set of sporting camps, this time in Burnham. In addition to running Ferguson's Lodge & Camps, Betsy also worked locally as an Office Manager at Ethan Allen. When she wasn't working, she was shuttling her kids to/from Pittsfield along the Horseback Road for school, practice or to visit friends. After her children went off to college and once again a single mother, Betsy changed careers and moved into real estate, first finding success as an agent with Century 21 and then ultimately running her own business - Maine Land Realty. She loved helping people, exploring backroads and she saw potential in every property – it was the perfect job for her. In the late 90's, Besty was serendipitously reunited with her high school sweetheart, Don Smart. The relationship was quickly rekindled after a cute and romantic courtship, and it wasn't long before they bought a house in Damariscotta and later married. They complemented each other perfectly, each supporting the other in the ways they needed most. When they weren't taking biking trips in Europe, visiting their Winery in Oregon, meeting up with friends in Florida or going to cheer on the Green Bay Packers in Wisconsin, Betsy and Don could be found at Don's camp in Weld on Webb Lake (coincidently the same lake that Betsy's family had a camp on when she was growing up just down the road from her first business – Betsy's Burgers). Of all the places she lived and visited in her lifetime, this was the one she loved the most. It was casual. It was beautiful. It was fun. Just like Betsy. Betsy was an independent, authentic, fun-loving, easy-going, hard-working family woman who was adored by everyone she met. She was selfless and found her own joy in making others happy. Her children meant everything to her. She was so proud of them and they of her. Her life wasn't always easy, but she kept a stiff upper lip. She always wore a smile…and a flannel shirt! She enjoyed yard sales, crossword puzzles, peonies, cribbage, coffee, grape nut ice cream, reading, Tom Selleck, bird watching, Jeopardy, golf, 50/60's music, blueberry picking, the news, cycling, traveling, fishing, the Green Bay Packers, foot rubs, wine and inventing silly words like "twink" and "doof-dog". She was jack of all trades - insurance agent, office manager, cub scout den leader, Avon and Tupperware rep., cook, real estate agent, business owner, pastor's assistant and marriage officiant - but none meant more to her than being a caring daughter, amazing mother, devoted wife, loving sister, loyal friend and doting grandmother. "Mamacita", "Betty-Boop", "Lou", "Bets", "Liz", "Bubu" - will be dearly missed by all of them. Betsy was preceded in death by her parents, Ruth and Charlie Norris; brother, Jeffrey Norris; and husband, Donald Smart. She is survived by her children, Shanda and Jethro; son-in-law, Dave; daughter-in-law, Molly; grandchildren, Kaelin, Garrett, Kye, Brody, Kade and Cullen; sisters, Katy, Sue and Charlene; brothers, Peter, Jim and Steve; stepchildren, Rob and Cindy; and a host of cherished cousins, nieces and nephews. A small private family celebration of life will be held in Weld, Maine, in accordance with Betsy's wishes. In lieu of flowers, donations in Betsy's name can be made to Weld Historical Society (P.O. Box 31, Weld, Maine 04285) – an organization dedicated to persevering the history of the small Maine town that she loved so much. Arrangements are under the care of Dan and Scott's Cremation and Funeral Service, 488 Farmington Falls Road, Farmington Maine, where memories, photos and condolences may be shared at dsfuneral.com