Elizabeth Heald
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Published in June 2026
Elizabeth “Betsy” Partridge Heald died peacefully on June 12, 2026, after a long illness. She was 86 years old. Betsy was born in Boston on June 29, 1939 and spent her childhood years living in Brookline where she attended the Park School, the Winsor School and later Smith College. Her summers were spent in Cataumet MA where she enjoyed sailing and the vibrant community of friends and family. It was during one beetlecat race where she met her future husband, Gordon Heald of Worcester and West Falmouth. They were wed in 1964. Betsy taught first and second grades at Dedham Country Day School until the birth of her children, after which she dedicated her life to family, volunteerism, and philanthropy.
A natural leader, Betsy contributed to many volunteer organizations, including the Junior League of Boston, The Vincent Club, and the Museum of Fine Arts. Her most rewarding volunteer roles came from her involvement with the Winsor School, where as a student she enjoyed close friendships that endured for the remainder of her life. Most notably, she served as the first female President of the Board of Trustees in the history of the school. After the loss of Gordon to ALS in 1998, Betsy co-founded the Gordon T. Heald ALS Fund to serve the needs of ALS patients and their caregivers. This fund has now grown and expanded to become Compassionate Care ALS, serving thousands of ALS patients throughout the United States and internationally. Her greatest joy was giving back to others.
Betsy is predeceased by Gordon and her beloved second husband, Garfield Arthur of West Falmouth. She is also predeceased by her parents, Horace and Dorothy Partridge of Wellesley and Cataumet, and her two brothers, Peter Partridge of West Falmouth and Edward Partridge of New Boston, NH and Cataumet. She leaves behind a loving family who were blessed to call her mom and “Gaga”; Bill Heald of Natick, together with his wife Kate and daughters Rose and Sarah, and Kim Heald Krawshuk of Natick, together with her husband Mike, and children Ashley and Nate. She also leaves behind many cousins, nieces, nephews, and extended family.
A keen tennis player, a lover of animals, with a discerning palate for coffee ice cream and the holder of the perfect brownie recipe, Betsy was a friend to many and an absolute role model of resiliency and generosity for those who loved her.
A Celebration of Life service will be planned for late summer.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to Compassionate Care ALS https://ccals.org.