Elizabeth Jane (Bethards) McFarland Kehoe, 89, of Mays Landing, N.J., went home to Our Lord on Nov. 24, 2021.
Beth was born in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 30, 1931, to Lulu Plumley Bethards and Harry Gordon Bethards.
Beth graduated from P.S. DuPont High School, class of 1949. She graduated from Wilmington Memorial Hospital as a registered nurse. She met Thomas P. McFarland Jr., M.D., and they were married on Nov. 22, 1952, in Philadelphia. They moved to Mays Landing, and raised their six children there.
Her husband Tom passed away in May 1980. Beth married Lawrence Kehoe in June 1986, and they moved to Oak Bluffs. She was a member of the Federated Church in Edgartown until August 2018, when she moved back to Mays Landing. Beth worked as a nurse alongside her husband Tom in his practice on Main Street in Mays Landing, as well as the Atlantic City Race Track. She also worked for Atlantic Care Regional Center (Galloway Township), Wesley Manor Convalescent Home (Ocean City, N.J.), Caesars Casino first aid department (Atlantic City), and Windemere at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Beth retired at age 70, but continued to work part-time until age 79.
Beth became born again in the fall of 2018. In 2019, at her church, Evangel Assembly of God, Mays Landing, she was water-baptized. Her dying wish was to have her family and friends join her in heaven. She spent her final years praying for people to come to know Jesus, reading the Bible, and singing hymns and songs of praise.
Beth was preceded in death by her siblings Gordon Bethards, Richard Bethards, Emma Lou Davis, her first husband Thomas McFarland, M.D., her second husband Lawrence Kehoe, and her beloved son Terence Sean McFarland. Beth is survived by her children Elizabeth Jane (Jerry), Thomas Patrick (Judy), Patricia Ann (Fran), Margaret St. Bridget (Bruce) and Jane Eileen; by her grandchildren Sean, Christian (Dawn), Joshua, Jacob (Brittany), Faith, Matt, Wesley, Paul, Sarah, Eric, Terry, David (Amanda), and Elizabeth Jane; her great-grandchildren Ryan Ann, Donovan, Terence, Mia, Grantham, Ethan, Isabel, Remington, Lucas, and Noah; many nieces and nephews; and many loving friends, both from Martha’s Vineyard, and Atlantic County, N.J.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date in the spring, at the discretion of the family. Burial will be private.
Donations can be made to St. Jude’s Hospital at bit.ly/StJudeKehoe or the Hoving Home for girls located in Oxford, N.J., at hovinghome.org/donate-now-button. For further information, and condolences, visit boakesfuneralhome.com.
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