In Memoriam

Beth Hudson-Hankins
1959-2024

MANSFIELD CENTER, CT—Elizabeth (“Beth”) Hudson-Hankins, 65, died at home on August 17, 2024 surrounded by her family and in the hearts of many, after a long illness. She was an enthusiastic life-long athlete, a mental health professional and a devoted mother and grandmother.

Beth was born in Burlington, Vermont on July 17, 1959 but spent her formative years in Alaska. She graduated from Cooperstown Central School (New York) in 1977 and Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota in 1981. A Nordic skier, competitive runner and distance cyclist, she played a pioneering role as the first girl to run cross-country at Cooperstown High School when her family moved east.

Shortly after graduating from Carleton, Beth married classmate and Nordic ski team co-captain John B. Hankins. Just two years into their loving four-decade union, Beth and John co-led 12 teenagers on a six-week 400-mile long wilderness canoe trip from Temagami, Ontario north to the southern shore of Hudson Bay. It was the first of many athletic adventures they shared together, culminating in 2021 in Hawaii when they achieved their goal of completing a 100-mile bike ride in each of the 50 states. 

Beth received a graduate degree from UConn School of Social Work in 1984. An insightful and empathetic therapist, she held a variety of jobs over her long career. She provided adult mental health support at United Services in Willimantic and helped those with medical issues, including cancer, at St. Francis Medical Center in Hartford. Beth provided mental health services for teenagers at Windham High School, where she was proud to help start and support the first Gay/Straight Alliance. Later she opened her own psychotherapy practice and worked at the Windham Hospital Emergency Room until her retirement in 2019. She cherished the professional relationships that grew from shared efforts to bring comfort and hope to those addressing mental health issues.

She was a member of the Unitarian Fellowship of Storrs and the Unitarian Universalist Society East in Manchester, where she served on a variety of committees and helped to coordinate Sunday services. In June 2024, she offered a last service at UUSE, “The Bitter with the Sweet,” which drew from her recent experience with cancer.

She leaves her husband, John, her daughter, Nellie, and husband JP Lindsey of Jersey City, New Jersey, her daughter, Anna, and husband Tim Durkin of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, four beloved grandchildren (Elio, Rafael, Eliza, and Annabel), her parents, Dr. Charles and Dorothy Hudson, brother Andrew Hudson, sister Amy Landis Hudson, and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for Beth was held at the Unitarian Universalist Society East located at 153 Vernon Street in Manchester on Thursday, August 29.

Donations in her memory may be made to Planned Parenthood, www.weareplannedparenthood.org, the Unitarian Universalist Society East of Manchester, www.uuse.org, or the Unitarian Fellowship of Storrs, www.uufstorrs.org.