Betty Locker

PORTLAND – Betty Locker, 91, passed away the morning of Aug. 6, 2022, in Portland, Maine, at her home with family by her side. Betty was born Nov. 2, 1930, in Brooklyn, New York, to Max and Gussie Goodstein. She and her husband Ira raised two children, Michele and Wayne, in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, where she had a career as a bookkeeper in the City University system, first at Brooklyn College and then at Borough of Manhattan Community College (where she witnessed the horror of 9/11 as the Twin Towers were right next door, which affected her forever), and later on at Shellbank Jewish Center in Marine Park, Brooklyn. Betty had a vivacious appetite for life – widowed at the young age of 56, Betty carried on with zest; she played cards with friends, went to shows in Brooklyn and Manhattan, and on cruises to Alaska and the Bahamas. Devoted to family, she mostly treasured her time with grandchildren, and later with her two great-grandchildren. Over the years, she spent most weekends with son Wayne and daughter-in-law Judy in New Jersey, just hanging with the grandkids, going on vacations, sweet sixteens, baseball games, recitals – the stuff of life. She helped her niece Cheryl raise her two children, Geri and Phil Junior, and she particularly spent many happy hours with Judy shopping, playing the slots at Atlantic City, and laughing over a glass of wine.

Fiercely independent all her life, Betty was (as her son-in-law Vinny would say) a “tough Brooklyn broad.” She visited Maine through the years to be with grandson Ian and loved when Vinny cooked her lobster, but was not super happy to leave her Brooklyn home and move to the “wilds” of Maine in 2018. Nevertheless, she came to embrace her new home, and participated actively in life at 75 State Street, playing Bingo, the Left Right Center dice game, and going to holiday parties and movies. Betty loved a good steak, and missed the family celebrations at Peter Luger’s in Brooklyn, but she did adore Ken’s fried clams in Maine and always looked forward to an outing there. She lived life on her own terms, and certainly did not “go gently into that good night” but instead, kept on being independent despite increasing frailty, often frustrating family and caregivers. Yet we understood her need to sail around on her own.

Betty was pre-deceased by her parents, Gussie and Max, sister Gloria and brother Bernie, and beloved husband Ira.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Michele Locker and Vinny O’Malley of Portland, Maine, her son and daughter-in-law, Wayne and Judy Locker of Sayreville, New Jersey; grandchildren Michael (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Genelle (Old Bridge, N.J.), Ian (partner Emily) (London, U.K.) and Christine (Brooklyn, N.Y.); and great grandchildren Ryan and Taylor (Old Bridge, N.J). Betty is going home to be buried alongside Ira at Beth Israel Cemetery in Woodbridge, New Jersey. The family would like to express our deepest thanks to the spectacular staff of 75 State Street and Beacon Hospice for tender and compassionate care of “Miss Betty” during this difficult journey.

If you are so inclined, a donation to Seventy-five State Street, Portland, ME 04101 in Betty’s name would be appreciated and help State Street carry on its important work for seniors in the community.