Elizabeth Sumler Jenkins

Elizabeth Sumler Jenkins was born July 2, 1930, in Waterbury, CT to Edith (Nelson) and Levi Sumler. She joined the angels on April 10, 2024, surrounded by her family.

Betty was educated in the Waterbury Public School system where she learned how to play basketball (half court) while in middle school, that later developed into a love of the game. In her later years, Betty was an avid supporter of the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team and watched every game, when she was able.

At the age of 16, she began working at the Timex Corporation, where she would remain until her retirement in 1992. In 1949, she met her future husband, Earlie “Ernie” Jenkins. They married on September 2, 1950, and would go on to have three outstanding children-Sharyn of Takoma Park, MD, Donna of Abington, PA, and Brian of Wolcott, CT.

Many a summer holiday was spent in the backyard cooking out on the grill with Betty as an attentive host, amongst her cherished family and friends. Betty enjoyed road trips and sheand Ernie often journeyed to visit her cousins in New York or Boston, or Ernie’s family in North Carolina. When the children moved away, this pair would consistently pack up a car and travel down I-95 to visit Sharyn or Donna and served as welcomed guests, movers, babysitters, or whatever the busy lives of their children required.

Betty loved singing and listening to music and this love of music may very well have influenced her son, Brian, who is an accomplished musician. Always eager to support any of his jazzgigs, she engaged many family members to attend when he was performing in their area.

Betty had a passion for both word and jigsaw puzzles. There was always a card table set up in front of the picture window with a different puzzle every three weeks. Without a doubt, these games definitely served as time fillers during those long, lonelydays of COVID. Betty always enjoyed learning new things and recently, she began to do puzzles on a Kindle reader, so she could take them anywhere.

Anyone who knew Betty could see that she was very fashion conscious and was always seen at her best, whether at the grocery store or at church.

Becoming an actively involved member of Grace Baptist Church and developing relationships with her church family were important and sustaining activities in Betty’s life. Accepting the Right Hand of Fellowship in the late 1990’s, she became a member of the Grace Baptist Senior Hub and Senior Choir, andregularly participated in the annual AIDS Walk. She also participated in the Senior Fitness and computer classes at the Mt. Olive Senior Center.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Barbara and Frances, brother Richard, and her husband of nearly 62 years Ernie. She is survived by her children; four beautiful granddaughters – Tamara Jenkins of Richmond, VA, Nina Fakolujo of Washington, DC, Faith Fakolujo of Abington, PA, and Madison Jenkins of York, ME; her son-in-law Olufemi Fakolujo of Abington, PA; and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends who will miss her dearly.

A celebration of Elizabeth’s life will be held on Friday April 19, 2024 at 11am at Grace Baptist Church 65 Kingsbury Street, Waterbury, CT. Viewing in Church from 10-11am. Burial to follow at New Pine Grove Cemetery. Funeral services are entrusted to Colonial Funerals, 270 West Main Street, Waterbury CT and James R. Sanders, Funeral Director. Condolences may be expressed at Colonialfunerals.com.