Bettina Fogge (Sullivan) Dobbs, formerly of Newtown, Conn., and Cushing and Rockland, Maine, passed away peacefully on Nov. 13, 2016, in Cushing, at 95 years of age. She was born in Natick, Mass., on May 30, 1921, the daughter of the late William James Sullivan and the late Ethel Marion (Dooling) Sullivan Brissett, and stepdaughter of the late Earl Anthony Brissett.

Living in Newtown, Conn., she enjoyed developing her homemaking skills including knitting, crocheting, canning and sewing. She had been trained and worked as a nurse. Later she became a teacher before her retirement to Maine in 1974. She helped establish adult education, the teen canteen, a bicycle rodeo and Future Nurses Club. Retiring to Maine she helped found with Charlotte Iserbyt the Guardians of Education for Maine. A panelist for radio, public TV, she was a speaker for homeschooling education groups and went on to serve as a technical consultant for the U.S. Department of Education. Much of this work was severely curtailed by strokes in 2001. That didn’t stop her determination to be an author and have her works published. Gems from the GEM years, Prologue to Eternity (an autobiography), and a series of Mouse Stories are now in print.

Bettina’s passion for education positively influenced many families throughout her years. She will be remembered for her quick wit, infectious smile, and the sparkle in her eye when her family came to visit, especially her great-grandchildren, whom she joyfully challenged to countless games of Go Fish.

She was predeceased by her husband, Sydney Robert Dobbs of Cushing; her brother, Robert Bruce Sullivan; her sister, Grace Eileen Sullivan; and her great-grandchild, Jordan Dobbs.

She is survived by her son, Brian W. (Donna) Dobbs of Cushing; her daughter, Judith D. Ruhm (David) of Connecticut; her grandchildren, Jason Dobbs ( Mariah) of Wisconsin, Jenna Tidd (Aaron) of Virginia, Douglas Ruhm and Cynthia Ruhm of Connecticut; her great-grandchildren, Micah, Leah, Ethan Dobbs, and Grace Tidd, Mitchell ( Brianna), Kyle, Nathan Versari, and Rylan Deane; her great-great-granddaughter, Gabriella Versari; her nephews, Timothy Sullivan (Deb ) of Vermont and their children, Erick, Bethany and Trisha Sullivan, David Dobbs (Valerie) of Montana and their daughters, Andrea and Katie Dobbs in Washington, and James Dobbs of Colorado. She is also survived by additional relatives and many special friends.