Betty Estelle (Cramner) Hornby

Betty Estelle Hornby, of Cashville, VA, passed away at home on Thursday, April 25, 2024. Born on August 18, 1927, she was a daughter to the late Gordon and Estelle Cramner. Betty married Reeves Hornby in 1980 and together they built a beautiful home together in what is now protected marshland on Doc Road in Cedar Run, NJ.

Betty lived in a world of art and nature. Betty may have found her calling at a young age, but she refused to stop learning. She even earned her bachelor's degree with honors from Stockton University of Arts in her 50s. She was an art teacher with the St. Francis Center on Long Beach Island, NJ, where her paintings still hang today. Betty was also a substitute teacher in the Southern Regional School District. She worked as a photographer and writer for the SandPaper newspaper on LBI. Betty taught herself to play the organ and her favorite piece was "Phantom of the Opera." Oh, how she loved playing that organ. Betty made sure to value the earth and all its inhabitants. She treated all of her pets as though they were humans. She had an undying love for art and painting watercolor nautical seascapes. One of her favorite things in life was sharing her paintings with her kids and grandkids. When she wasn’t painting, she could often be found making Granny "fractals" computer art. She was still working on paintings right up until her death. Her final contribution to the art world was a painting, now unfinished, of a rainbow in the sky and treetops for her grandson. Quirky, strong-willed, strong-headed, and a funny little firecracker, she will be missed by all who knew her.

Betty is survived by her son, Ray DeForrest, and granddaughter, Heather Elliott Spencer DeForrest.

She was predeceased by her parents, Gordon and Estelle Cramner; husband, Reeves Hornby; sons, Bruce DeForrest and Paul DeForrest; and brother, Edward Dambrowski.

Per her wishes, no public service will be held. Instead, the family requests you honor Betty’s love of art by bringing your own imagination to canvas or spending time outdoors with the ones you love.

Contributions in Betty’s memory may be made to St. Francis Center / LBICC, Inc., 4700 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach Twp., NJ 08008 (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=KPJFL8PKUKW4W). Checks may be made out to “St. Francis of Assisi Parrish” and “In Memory of Betty Hornby” in the memo line.

Memory tributes may be shared with the family at www.williamsfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements by the Williams-Onancock Funeral Home.

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