Obituary: Betsy Ellen Kirchberg, 70, of Orange

ORANGE, CT – (From Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home) Betsy Ellen Kirchberg, 70, of Red Cedar Road, daughter of the late Muriel Gerard-Kirchberg and Ernest Carl Kirchberg, peacefully passed away on Tuesday, April 21, 2021 at her Silverbrook Estates apartment with her live-in aide, Jasmine Thomas, and close family members by her side.

Betsy was born in New Haven on September 25, 1950, and was a lifetime resident of Orange.

She graduated in 1968 from Amity High School in Woodbridge and received her Licensed Practical Nurse certificate from Emmet O’Brien Tech in Ansonia.

For most of her professional career, she worked in various units at Yale- New Haven Hospital (YNHH) that included pediatric research, the surgical department, and the labor and delivery unit where she took great pride assisting in the births of countless babies.

She ended her career with YNHH at the Women’s Health Center in 1993. After that, she worked for a short period of time as the school nurse and secretary for Laurel Oaks Adventist School in Hamden.

Betsy was a member of the Orange Republican Party and spent many hours helping with various organizations in the Town of Orange. She was a long-time member of the New Haven Seventh-day Adventist Church, and was an avid cook and baker. She enjoyed shopping, spending time with friends and family, and making her well-known cheesecakes and cookies.

Betsy was pre-deceased by her sister, Linda Seidman, of Harrah, OK; and brother Earl Kirchberg, of Hampden, ME. She is survived by two brothers: Paul Kirchberg and his wife, Debbie, of Orange; and Eric Kirchberg and his wife, Ivy, of New Haven; as well as Earl Kirchberg’s widow, Kallie Kirchberg, of Freeport, ME.

Additional survivors include seven nephews: Nicholas Kirchberg, his wife, Aom, and their son, Maximus, of Old Orchard Beach, ME; Alexander Kirchberg and his wife, Laura, of Charlestown, MA; Demetri Kirchberg of Portland, ME; Paul Michael Kirchberg, his wife, Smita, and their daughters, Aria and Maya, of Milford; Johnathan Kirchberg, his wife, Stephanie, and their son, Ashlyn Ramos, of Woburn, MA; Michael O’Brien, his wife, Sarah, and their children, Kaitlyn, Alexandria and Jason, of West Haven, and Zachary Kirchberg of Bremerton, WA.

A Memorial Service will be held at Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home, 2300 Whitney Avenue, Hamden on Saturday, May 1, 2021, with visitation starting at 1 p.m. followed by a remembrance service at 2 p.m.

Her internment will be held privately at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Betsy’s memory may be sent to the Laurel Oaks Adventist School, 14 West Shepard Avenue, Hamden, CT 06514.