Bridget "Betty" (Doyle) Somerville

Bridget ("Betty") Somerville

1927-2022

 Bridget ("Betty") Somerville (née Doyle), 94, passed away peacefully with family by her side on Thursday, August 25, 2022, in Urbana, Illinois, from complications due to Parkinson's disease. 

 Born in 1927 in Dublin, Ireland, Betty was the daughter of Francis and Kathleen Doyle.  She grew up in a large family and a lively closeknit community, where she was a favorite among her friends, neighbors, teachers, and extended family.  As a teenager, she enjoyed dancing and was also active in church activities and volunteer efforts, through which she met her future husband, Brendan Somerville.  After they were married, they moved for job opportunities to London, England, where their two daughters were born.  In 1963, they immigrated to the United States, and moved to Vienna, Virginia, eventually becoming U.S. citizens.  They loved their home and helped sustain a welcoming neighborhood in Vienna, where they raised their daughters, built lasting friendships, and lived for the next five decades, and where they were active in arts and community organizations.  In 2018, ten years after her husband passed away, Betty moved to The Virginian, a senior residence in Fairfax, Virginia, where she continued to make new friends, attend public events, and enjoy the camaradarie of her fellow residents.  In 2020, at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, she relocated to Champaign, Illinois, to live with her daughter and eventually was in care at the Green House Homes at Clark Lindsey Village in Urbana, Illinois, where she brightened the lives of many residents, staff, and visitors, and enjoyed the beauty of surrounding gardens and parks.

 With her friendly ways and ready smile, Betty worked in retail throughout her life, from her early days as a salesperson for the Baby Carriage Company in Dublin through many years selling fine china and porcelain at Bailey, Banks, and Biddle in Tysons Corner, Virginia.  After retiring, she worked in a toy store in Vienna, Virginia, where the children and families she interacted with daily brought her great delight.

 Continuing the community service of her early years throughout her life, Betty was active in many local organizations.  A devoted parishioner of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church for six decades, she regularly contributed to the work of the parish as a member of the Women of OLGC, whether it was organizing funeral receptions or helping with fundraising efforts like spaghetti dinners and Christmas bazaars.  For many years, she was a dedicated member of Our Lady's Quilters, where she not only helped design and sew quilts for annual raffles, but also enjoyed strong and sustaining friendships with her fellow quilters.  For several years, she helped coordinate food donations for SOME (So Others Might Eat) in Washington, DC.  She also volunteered with the Shepherd's Center of Northern Virginia, an organization supporting the well-being of seniors, which recognized her with an award for volunteer service in 2015.

 Wherever she went, Betty made friends easily and kept them for life.  With those nearby, she loved sharing a good laugh over a cup of tea, and she was always eager to take a walk in the woods or attend outdoor summer concerts.  With friends and family far away, she regularly wrote and received cards and letters. Enjoying music and art of every kind, Betty herself was also a deeply creative person.  She loved tending her garden, with its beautiful stand of irises, and she often spent evenings knitting baby blankets or piecing a quilt.  She baked with ease and was known for her Irish hospitality, making cookies, cakes, soda bread, and cream scones that always brought a smile to the family, friends, and neighbors for whom she made them. She delighted in the company of children and was a deeply loving mother, aunt, and grandmother.  She did not drive a car, but she was independent, adventurous, and curious about the world, setting an example for the two strong daughters she raised.  Among her friends, neighbors, and family, Betty was beloved for her warmth, sharp wit, and generosity, looking out to make sure that newcomers felt welcome and offering a comforting hand or a kind word in times of need. 

 Betty is survived by her two daughters, Una Somerville (Scott Olsson) and Siobhan Somerville, as well as two grandchildren, Kevin Olsson and Kate Olsson.  She was preceded in death by her husband Brendan Somerville; her parents; and her brothers and sisters in Ireland and England.

 A memorial mass will be held at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Vienna, Virginia, at a date and time to be determined, with burial at Flint Hill Cemetery in Oakton, Virginia.  Details about funeral arrangements will be available at Money and King Funeral Home at https://www.moneyandking.com/

 Donations in Betty's memory may be made to any of the following:

 SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL

To make a donation: https://membership.faithdirect.net/givenow/VA875/34272.  Or drop a check off to the office at Our Lady of Good Counsel made out to St Vincent De Paul (SVDP). 

SO OTHERS MIGHT EAT (SOME)
 https://some.org/give/donate-now
To make a gift by mail, send your check made out to SOME to 71 O Street, NW Washington, DC 20001.  

THE SHEPHERD'S CENTER OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA

541 Marshall Rd SW, Vienna, VA 22180Marshal

https://scnova.org/donate/

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