By Deborah Larsen
Betty Jane Delamater Gerdin
Betty Jane Delamater was born in Detroit, Michigan, on September 19, 1922, the daughter of William and Mamie Shelley Delamater. The Delamater family lived on First Street in Rochester. Betty attended Rochester High School and graduated in the class of 1941. After high school, Betty worked as a nurse assistant at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.
In June 1943, Betty entered the U.S. Navy Women’s Reserve (known as WAVES). She served as a pharmacist’s mate and dental technician at the Santa Margarita Naval Hospital at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California. In February 1944, she married Corporal Frank Gerdin of the U.S. Marine Corps. The ceremony was performed in the base chapel at Camp Pendleton.
Betty was released from military service in July 1944, while Frank continued his service with the Marine Corps. He was seriously wounded during the Battle of Iwo Jima, but recovered from his injuries.
After the war, the Gerdins settled in Virginia to raise their family. Betty worked as a nurse at Bell Hospital in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Betty Jane Delamater Gerdin died at the age of 70 on July 6, 1993, and was laid to rest in Shacklefords, Virginia.