Elizabeth (Bette) Rittenhouse Nusz, 89, Starkville, passed away peacefully on Thursday evening, September 22, 2022 in her home at The Claiborne at Adelaide in Starkville, MS.
Bette was a native of Baltimore, Maryland. She graduated from the University of Maryland, where she was the Kappa Delta – Alpha Rho chapter President and most importantly met the love of her life Dave Nusz. Over the next 30 years they welcomed their two children, Kerry and Tommy into the world, and supported Dave as he followed major college football coaching jobs across the country before settling in Jacksonville, FL where they remained for another 30 years.
Bette loved the world of learning. She taught at several elementary schools over the course of 40 years while also pursuing a higher education degree from Mississippi State University. She loved to sew, needle point and quilt. She shared her stitching expertise not only with friends and family, but by gifting many of her pieces of needlework to those in need. Her favorite way to feed her love for learning was through travel. When they retired, Bette and Dave traveled the world together, exploring new places near and far.
Bette was a devoted member to Deermeadows Baptist Church, devoted wife of 58 years, a loving mother and grandmother to her three grandchildren.
Bette will be laid to rest at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium, Maryland close to her childhood home with a private family service at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family graciously requests those wishing to express sympathy consider making a contribution in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (57 West 57th Street, Suite 904, New York, NY 10019) or Kindred Hospice of Starkville (403 Hospital Rd, Starkville, MS 39759).
She is survived by her daughter, Kerry Nusz Coke, New York, NY; son, Tommy Nusz (Terri), Madison, MS; brother, James D. Rittenhouse Sr., Parkville, MD and three grandchildren, Meagan and Brant Nusz, and Elizabeth Coke.
She was preceded in death by her father, Thomas Van Brant Rittenhouse and mother, Edna Lear Rittenhouse; husband, David Allen Nusz and son-in-law, David Glen Coke.
