Elisabeth Betsey Utting

Elisabeth “Betsey” Utting, 66, of Spring Grove, PA, entered God’s eternal care, Wednesday, December 12, 2018 as a result of a car accident.

Born June 5, 1952 in Boston, MA, she was the daughter of George R. and Nancy (Starks) Utting.  Betsey grew up in Guilford, CT, where she formed a life long love of horses and especially Welsh ponies.  She graduated from Guilford high school having found a strong interest in genetics which stayed with her her entire life.  She started farming in Connecticut but soon moved to a 175-acre farm in Mansfield, PA where she earned a substantial living raising cross-bred sheep for specialty markets in New York City.  Betsey was a doer, cutting and bailing hay, raising lambs and sheep and just starting into breeding Welsh ponies, where she established Maranatha Meadows.  She decided to sell that farm and more to a smaller one in York County to concentrate on breeding Welsh.  Having been a full-time farmer for 53 years, she was well known  for not only the beauty and orderliness of her farms, but for her gardens and tress.  On the farm in Spring Grove she has planted thousands of trees to grace this place.

Her fascination and knowledge of the genetics in breeding was unparalleled.  Early in her career she visited Wales and was enamored of the natural lifestyle of the ponies there.  Bringing that experience and her special bond with one young cold (Telynau Bronze Statue) home she expanded Maranatha Meadows into a place for the ponies to live a healthy, happy, natural lifestyle.  Betsey’s breeding program produced many fine Section B Welsh ponies for our children today.  Her love of her ponies will live on in the Maranatha Ponies.

Betsey was the loving wife of John E. Kolemba with whom she shared 4 ½ years of marriage.

Betsey attended First United Methodist Church, Hanover, PA.  She was a member of the Welsh Pony Cob Society of America, the United States Equestrian Federation and the Katahdin Hair Sheep International.

In addition to her husband, Betsey is survived by children, Nathan Raiche of Wellsboro, PA, Miranda Raiche of Wenachee, WA, Rebecca walker of Emerald Isle, NC, Ezra Utting of Philadelphia, PA and Mollie Hamilton of Philadelphia, PA, 5 grandchildren, and one brother, Richard Utting of Monterey, CA, and one sister, Joyce Schutter of Sandwich, MA. 

A funeral service to celebrate and remember Betsey’s life will be held 11:00AM, Tuesday, December 18 at the Kenworthy Funeral Home Inc., 269 Frederick Street, Hanover, PA, with Rev. Greg Rapp officiating.  A viewing and time to share memories with the family will be held 6:00-8:00 PM, Monday, December 17, 2018 at the funeral home. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Welsh Pony and Cob Society of American Memorial Fund, Scholarships, 720 Green St. Stephens City, VA. 22655.

The Kenworthy Funeral Home, Inc., 269 Frederick Street, Hanover, PA has been entrusted by the family with the funeral arrangements.  Memories and condolences may be shared at www.kenworthyfh.com.

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