BETTY FARONE
Malta-Betty Farone, age 97, passed away on Saturday February 6, 2021 at Saratoga Hospital. Betty was born on June 14, 1923 in Chicago, IL to the late Clarence and Rose (Foster) Fawcett. A native of Wheaton, Illinois, Betty attended Wheaton high school and later earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from DePauw University. Following graduation, she was employed in the training department at Marshall Fields in Chicago. She then enrolled in a graduate program in psychology at the University of Minnesota where she was employed by the university counseling bureau. Betty married her college sweetheart, Richard Halsted, and they moved to New York where they soon built a home in Burnt Hills. For a period of years, she devoted herself full time to raising their 4 children. She then returned to graduate school and completed her master’s degree in psychology at State University of Albany in 1964. Following graduation, for the next 13 years she was employed by Saratoga County Schools as a school psychologist while also providing some services to schools in Albany, Schenectady and Schoharie counties. She nished up her professional career working as a community services coordinator for the Troy Conference Area of Gateway United Methodist Youth Center where she specialized in family counseling with an emphasis on preventive help. In addition, she taught Parent Effectiveness and Youth Effectiveness Training, did individual and group counseling in the Schenectady County Jail, was a worker on the Saratoga Task Force on Abuse and Neglect, and conducted various workshops in the church and community. Betty served a board member of the Burnt Hills United Methodist Church, was a Sunday school teacher, a member of the church building committee, and a worker with the United Methodist Women. Several years following Richard’s untimely death at age 42, Betty was blessed to again nd love in her life when she met and then later married Joseph Farone. They shared a wonderful long life together with a large and loving extended family. Betty and Joe enjoyed theater and the arts and often attended local venues. The two of them were also marvelous dancers, watching them on the dance oor was poetry in motion. Betty is survived by her children, Heather Haines of Mineral, VA, Craig Halsted of Stasburg, VA, Scott Halsted of Beaverton, OR and Kirk Halsted of Burnt Hills, NY; her step-children, Karen Miltner of Galway, NY, Joseph (Cynthia) Farone, Jr. of Castleton-on-Hudson, NY, Cynthia (Terry) Amrhein of Brideport, VT, Frank Farone of Winchester, MA and David Farone of Schenectady, NY. She is also survived by the many wonderful grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren that she adored and that blessed her life. In addition to her parents and Richard Halsted, Betty is predeceased by her husband, Joseph Farone. A Memorial Service will be held at a later date to be determined when all can safely gather to celebrate her life. Interment will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery, Colonie, NY. In lieu of owers, memorial contributions may be made to Burnt Hills United Methodist Church, 816 NY-50, Burnt Hills, NY 12027. With condence, the family has placed their trust in the loving care of the Townley & Wheeler Funeral Home, 21 Midline Road, Ballston Lake, and they encourage you to view and leave messages on Elizabeth’s Book of Memories at www. TownleyWheelerFH.com