Elizabeth Winstian Serafin

Elizabeth Winstian Serafin, age 79, died on September 10, 2026 at Emory Hospital, Johns Creek from complications due to Parkinson’s Disease. She was surrounded by many members of her immediate family and friends.

Betsy, as she preferred, was born at Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital in New York City on July 14, 1947, the only child of parents Malcolm Winstian and Elizabeth Toth who were originally from Hudson, New York. She was the last surviving member of her family. At the time of her birth, the family lived on E.72nd Street and Central Park West. She attended PS 87 in Manhattan. Her childhood was interesting as she lived in an area where many of New York’s celebrities lived and got to meet and associate with a number of them in those early years that created long enduring memories.

Betsy had an interesting family history. Her family started in the Furniture Manufacturing business, soon after coming to Hudson, NY from Germany and Russia. The family quickly expanded and also participated in local government, and one serving as mayor and another as a member of Congress. Two other members were Hollywood Producers. However, the most familiar members of her family were the famous musical director and composer, Richard Rodgers of Rogers and Hammerstein notoriety and his wife, the acclaimed, Dorothy Fenner, the Martha Stewart of her day to whom Betsy was related. A movie was later made of the Rodgers’ family with Tyrone Power playing the famous composer and Vivian Lee playing his wife, Dorothy.

Her family later relocated to Uncasville, CT around 1953 to be closer to other family and join the family business. Betsy attended High School in New London and Montville participating in various sports. She graduated from Montville High first class in 1965.

After graduation she began work at the American Thermos Company working in the Credit Department. During that time, she met her future husband Richard (Rick) Serafin. The couple were married on April 8, 1967 in Montville, CT. After the marriage she left Thermos to join her husband who was then in the US Army stationed at Ft. Benning outside of Columbus, GA. The couple later moved to Fayetteville, NC when her husband was assigned to the JFK Special Warfare School at Ft, Bragg. It was at Ft. Bragg, where first son, Michael was born in 1968.

After the conclusion of that duty tour, Betsy returned to Connecticut while her husband was sent overseas to Viet Nam. When husband, Rick, returned from overseas deployment and was released from active duty in late 1969, the family decided to reside in the Norwich, CT area with Rick taking a position with The Travelers Insurance Corporation in Hartford, CT. It was during this time that their second son, Douglas was born on January 13, 1971.

After spending a number of years at home raising her family, Betsy decided to return to work initially finding a part-time position with the Norwich Savings Society, a local bank and later full-time working in the Deposits Accounts Department where she became assistant manager.

While in Connecticut she played women’s softball for a number of years once being honored as the league’s Most Valuable Player. She, also, participated in local volley ball leagues. Betsy, was, an avid 10 pin bowler having an all-time single game high of 257.

After some 12 years at the Savings Society, she left when Rick decided to relocate to Alpharetta, GA when the Travelers was setting up an Atlanta regional office. However, even after leaving the Savings Society she maintained close relations with many members of the bank and regular get-togethers took place when she returned back to Norwich for visits. Those relationships still continued up to present.

While in Georgia she accepted a position with Scott-Madden and Associates where she worked for some 20 years as a receptionist and admin assistant retiring in 2015. She quickly assimilated at ScottMadden which became a second family to her and whose cherished relationships and company contacts she valued over the years. Betsy always looked forward to be invited back to company get-togethers and other events.

Betsy enjoyed many pastimes and interests. She foremost enjoyed watching her sons, Mike and Doug, as they were growing up and even into later years participating in sports such as baseball, basketball, football and wrestling. And she continued to follow her grandkids through softball, baseball and wrestling and their involvement with school orchestra and other academics. She especially enjoyed travelling where she got to visit quite a number of countries all around the world. She looked forward to visiting with close friends who she had met over the years and whose lasting relationships long endured. She loved following women’s sports, especially UCONN Women’s Basketball, and she followed her “Huskies” faithfully over the years and was fortunate to have attended when UCONN won two of their many NCAA National Championships. Other interests include attending live stage performances and plays, antiquing, maintaining her plants, caring for her many feline friends as well as an occasional visit to one of the local gambling casinos in the area.

However, her ultimate passion was for her four grandchildren, Meghan 30 and Mathew 27 born to son Michael and wife Ann-Marie Letizia and Madeline, 17 and Julia, 14 born to Douglas and former wife, Melanie Frasier. Unfortunately, the Parkinson’s limited the amount of time that she could fully devote to her grandchildren in recent years but she always maintained interest in hearing about their activities.

Betsy will forever be remembered for her friendliness, sincerity and commitment to her family and to those who were fortunate to have become a friend or an acquaintance. Her loss has been an especially difficult one for our family. She generously cared for us all with unmitigated love and compassion. She was our “guiding light.”

Her funeral will be the Ingram Funeral Home, 210 Ingram Avenue in Cumming, GA. Services will begin at 11:00am on September 17th with interment services scheduled for 2:00pm that afternoon in the Georgia National Military Cemetery in Canton, GA. The Serafin Family asks that you continue to keep her in your remembrance and in your hearts. Instead of flowers, we ask that you make donations to one of your favorite charities in Betsy’s name.

Ingram Funeral Home, 210 Ingram Ave, Cumming, GA is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences may be expressed online at ingramfuneralhome.com.