Betty Ann Pahr - Obituary

etty Ann Pahr, 99, of Annapolis, MD. died May 16, 2022. Born on December 17, 1922 in Baltimore, MD to the late Mollie and George L. Herman, Betty was a graduate of Western High School, the oldest public school for females in the United States. A lifelong community and political activist, Betty was a member of the Severn Town Club and the Republican Women of Anne Arundel County. She served on the latter’s Board of Directors as Vice Chairman and Publicity Chairman for over 38 years. Performing the Can Can with the Severn ladies to raise funds for charity was a treasured memory. Betty won the Governor’s Award as a member of the Mayor’s Committee for a Clean and Beautiful Annapolis. She waged a campaign for the planting of trees on the docks and on the sidewalks outside of businesses long before it became fashionable to do so. Many of the trees that exist in Annapolis today are because of her work. As a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Betty, along with her husband John, a WWII Navy veteran, helped instruct the Sailing and Seamanship classes. She and John sailed the Chesapeake Bay and appreciated its unique beauty in their own sail boat. She loved to read, and writing was a favorite activity. In 1995 she wrote the history of Anne Arundel County and frequently published articles on sailing. Her mother played the piano for the silent movies by ear and Betty taught herself to play at the age of 70. She loved fashion and, because of her long lifespan, she went from maxi skirts to mini skirts to pants. During WWII she had a brief job screwing caps on toothpaste tubes while her husband was in New London training for the U.S. Navy Submarine Duty. Betty is preceded in death by her devoted husband, John R.Pahr and her caring sister, Mary Jane Rankin. She is survived by her daughter, Anne Minifie, her niece, Nora Lee Peters and her most compassionate and treasured friends, Colleen and John Mitchell. Funeral services will be private. Online condolences may be offered using the Memories tab on the left side of this page.