Derry, N.H. – Elizabeth Anne Burnell, wife, mother, and antique collectibles expert, died peacefully on Saturday, Dec. 11, at The Penacook House  in Haverhill, Mass. The cause of death was complications from kidney and liver infections.

Mrs. Burnell, called "Betty", "Betty Anne", and "B.A." by her friends and family, was born on March 6, 1933, in Boston, Mass., to Nathaniel H. Barrows, Jr. and Elizabeth Anne (Ley) Barrows. Nat Barrows was a decorated U.S. Army intelligence colonel during World War II; he also traveled around the world for his father's New England-based textile business. He met Betty Ley at Bald Peak, a summer resort on Lake Winnipesaukee where his father and Harold Ley (builder of the Chrysler Building) had homes.

Betty spent the first few years of her life in New Mexico with her parents, three sisters - Judy Larsen (deceased), Nancy Hubbell (deceased), and Sally Seibert of Dover, Del. – and one brother, Roman Hubbell (deceased). After her parents' divorce when she was seven, she moved east with Judy to live with their father and paternal grandparents.  She spent most of her childhood in boarding school (including the prestigious Dana Hall in Wellesley, Mass., for grades 6-12), but happily enjoyed weekends and holidays at her family's now 210-year-old colonial farm in Plaistow, N.H.

She attended Bradford College in Haverhill, but left after two years to marry Carl T. Bannon, Jr. of Haverhill, in the summer of 1953.  They had three children, Laurie McDonald of Lakewood, Colo., Jeffrey Bannon of New York City, and David Bannon of Alsea, Ore., and lived in a beautiful home across the street from her grandparent's farm.

When that marriage ended, Betty briefly raised her three children alone. In early 1964, she was set up on a blind date with Robert S. Burnell.  They were married on Nov. 12 of that year at the Atkinson (N.H.) Congregational Church (which had been built by her ancestors in the 18 ^th Century). They settled into the house in Plaistow and quickly added three more children to the family -- Scott R. Burnell of Brunswick, Md., Dean S. Burnell of Johnson, Vt., and Ross W. Burnell of Hannacroix, N.Y.

Betty Anne's remarkably broad intelligence spawned interests in many fields, fueled by an unbounded curiosity about the world and other people.  Her primary passions were antiques, family history, bridge, Broadway musicals, travel, bird watching and many team sports. She was a devoted Red Sox fan for almost 80 years, attending many games including the famous 1975 World Series Game 6.  She traveled extensively with Bob and her children, including her all-time favorite trips to Alaska and multiple trips to Barbados, New Mexico, Nova Scotia, the British Isles, New York City, and Vermont. She enjoyed long term friendships with many, including women from her days at Dana Hall and Bradford.

For decades Betty Anne involved herself deeply in worship and community service in the Congregational Church (U.C.C.) in Atkinson and later East Derry, N.H.  She often chaired a committee or two, usually leading the music and missionary efforts.  She also devoted many hours supporting the soup kitchen in Derry and the American Cancer Society's fundraising work, as well as driving cancer patients to their appointments in Boston. A politically active citizen, she helped run many campaigns, including co-chairing the Rockingham County campaigns of two moderate-Republican candidates for N.H. governor in the 1970's, and Barack Obama's Derry 2008 presidential campaign committee.

In addition to her children and surviving sister, Betty Anne leaves her daughters-in law Teri Landauer of Alsea, April Burnell of Brunswick, Perry Burnell of Johnson, and Liz LoGiudice of Hannacroix; son-in-law Edgardo Salinas of New York City; and her grandchildren Elise Hoover of Denver, Colo., Bella McDonald of Albequerque, N.M., and Vivien Burnell of Matawan, N.J.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Life Celebration to be held on Thursday, December 16, 2021 from 11 a.m. until 12 Noon at Brookside Chapel & Funeral Home, 116 Main St., Plaistow, NH. Her funeral service will follow at 12:30 p.m. in the funeral home. By request of the family, masks are required for attendance and unvaccinated are asked to refrain from attending.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the FBC Community Food Bank (Derry, N.H.) and the American Cancer Society.