Martha E. Tyson

Martha Elizabeth "Betty" Foster Tyson, 93, passed away peacefully October 11, 2012. Beloved wife of the late Charles J. Tyson, Jr.; dear mother of Kathleen McKemy Graham (Jim) and John Tyson (Ellie); beloved grandmother of Christine McKemy McWard (Jim), Elizabeth Tyson and Keith Tyson; adoring great-grandmother of Andrew and Alex McWard; dearest sister-in-law of Julianne Lipman and sister of Jane Carro; beloved aunt and friend to many. Betty was born March 7, 1919, in Philadelphia. She was raised in the seaside resort town of Ocean City, N.J. Betty attended Temple University and Lebanon Valley College, graduating with a bachelor's degree in English in 1942. At Lebanon Valley, she was a campus leader, serving as president of the Clio Literary Society and features editor of the campus newspaper. She was elected May Queen 1942. Most important, Lebanon Valley was where she met Charles Tyson, whom she married September 26, 1942. They were married 52 years, until his death in 1995. Betty was a homemaker and later a teacher in the Ferguson-Florissant School District and Special School District of St. Louis County, where she worked with physically and developmentally disabled children. Her kindness and compassion were beyond compare. In her 93 years she was a special education teacher, a writer, a poet, an advocate and an activist. Betty was often honored for her service to issues concerning women and children. She was a pioneer of women's equality and social justice, instrumental in the creation and passage of the 1979 Missouri Adult Abuse Remedies Law, which provided the first legal protections for victims of domestic violence. In recognition of her vast social impact, in 1980 she was named a St. Louisan of the Year by St. Louis magazine. Missouri First Lady Jean Carnahan presented her with the prestigious DeVerne Lee Calloway Award in 2000. Her loving spirit and tireless work for equal rights continue to be an inspiration. Services: Hutchens Mortuary, 675 Graham Road, Florissant. Memorial service 3 p.m. Saturday, November 3. Visitation follows, 4-6 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Alley Cat Allies, 7920 Norfolk Ave., Suite 600, Bethesda, MD 20814-2525, www.alleycat.org; or Safe Connections, 2165 Hampton Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63139, www.womenssupport.org.

Martha E. Tyson

March 7, 1919 - October 11, 2012