Elizabeth Karthan Szabo (Betsy), age 96, passed away peacefully at home on December 3, 2018. Born in Minneapolis, Betsy and her parents, Stanley and Julia Karthan, brother George, and sister Mary, moved to Chicago in 1924. Betsy was orphaned at age 11 and lived at the Park Ridge School for Girls.
She attended junior college at Maine Township and then went on to St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. After college, Betsy joined the U.S. Navy, working in the Naval Intelligence Department in New York City.
Betsy married Joseph F. Szabo in 1946 and had 4 children. In 1965, Betsy went back to college for her teaching degree and taught first grade for 19 years at Frost Elementary School in Mount Prospect. She was an active member of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Des Plaines.
For the last 23 years, she lived in Mount Prospect sharing a home with her daughter Joan and granddaughter Mary Elizabeth.
Betsy was the loving mother of Julia (Philip) Mears, Joseph (Lynn), Joan, and James (Jane), grandmother to Maggie Mears, Katie Mears (Elisabeth Snell), Anna Szabo (Bryce Meredig), Alex Szabo (Darlene Gonzalez), Peter Szabo, Lisa (Tim) Sanders Szabo, Mary Szabo, and great grandmother to Christopher Philip.
The family is appreciative of the compassionate care provided to Betsy by Darejan Bzikadze over the past few years. Betsy was known for her passion for education, jazz music, art, and Chicago sports. The family has many fond memories of trips to Chicago museums, theaters and Cubs games with Betsy.
Memorials in Elizabeth’s name may be made to St. Martin’s Episcopal Church or the charity of your choice.
A celebration of life service will be held in the spring.