Obituary of Elizabeth Mondschein

ELIZABETH (BETTY) MONDSCHEIN, JUNE 28, 1918 - OCTOBER 10, 2013 Betty passed away in her sleep early Thursday morning at Prestige Assisted Living on Smoketree Avenue. She was 95. Betty was born in Manhattan and raised in Astoria, NY. She graduated from Julia Richmond High School and began her working career shortly after graduation. She, her husband David, and daughter Elissa, moved to Lake Havasu City from Hauppauge, NY in 1976. Betty and David were community activists from the start of their lives here. From 1978 to 1988 she was a member of the Mohave Community College Performing Arts committee. Betty was a founding member of the LHC Community Orchestra in 1978, and was later appointed manager. She retired from the orchestra in 1984. She worked at the Board of Realtors from 1979-1984, helping establish the Multiple Listing Service, and helped form the Lake Havasu Community College Foundation in 1979. The LHCC Foundation was dissolved in 1990 when the funds were donated to MCC and the memberships merged. In 1982 Betty was among the founding members of the Allied Arts Council. She worked with the Council to develop the Spotlight on the Arts. Betty became an honorary member of the Council in the spring of 2013. In 1986 Betty participated in a production of Fiddler on the Roof, presented by MCC, the LH Community Choir, the LH Community Orchestra, and the Drury Lane Theatre. MCC awarded Betty a plaque in recognition of this very successful presentation. In 1990 she and Wes Humphrey formed the LHC Symphonic Winds, where, at various times she functioned as Treasurer, Business Manager and Vice President. She retired from the Symphonic Winds last year. Betty was a lifetime member of the MCC Foundation, the friends of the Library, the Lighthouse Foundation, the Lake Havasu Higher Education Foundation, the K-12 Foundation, NARFE, and the Allied Arts Council, where she served on the Scholarship Committee. She was active in the Democratic Party for over 50 years, including locally with the Democratic Association of Lake Havasu City. Betty was given awards of recognition by the LHC Board of Realtors in 1979, 1980, and 1981. She received the "Good Guy" Award in 1985, presented by the Lake Havasu Herald, and received a recognition award from the Lake Havasu Community college Foundation that same year. She received the Lake Havasu Citizen's Award in 1994, presented by the Lake Havasu City Employees Association. MCC planted a tree honoring David and Betty, located near MCC Building # 600. In addition to English, Betty spoke Aromanian (the Vlach language), Romanian, and some Greek. Betty is survived by her daughter Elissa, of Oakland, CA; her sister Alexandria (Sandy) Lupu, of Lake Havasu City; nephew Thomas (Priscilla) Carameta; niece Vivianne (William) Falcone; grandnephew James Carameta; and many other grand nephews and nieces, and numerous cousins. Betty was preceded in death by her husband, David. Services will be held for Betty at Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 TBA followed by an open house in her honor at TBA at Building 600 of MCC on Acoma Blvd. Her family requests that contributions in her honor be made to the Mohave Community College Foundation. May her memory be eternal. Thoughts and condolences can be sent to Betty's family at www.lietz-frazefuneralhome.com Arrangements were placed under the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home & Crematory.