Elizabeth "Betty" Pompa Rogers, 96, of Toronto, OH, passed away Monday, March 3, 2025, at Trinity Hospital in Steubenville, OH. Until the very end, she was a strong, vivacious matriarch, eternally young at heart and in mind, and unapologetically and authentically herself.

Betty was born on June 22, 1928 to Daniel and Mariannina (Luciani) Pompa in Steubenville, OH. Betty's parents were Italian immigrants, both widowed in their prior marriages, and bringing three children each to the relationship. When they were blessed with fraternal twins, they named Betty and her twin brother Joe after Daniel and Mariannina's former spouses. Since Betty and Joe were born prematurely, Mariannina used the warming drawer of her oven as a homemade incubator to help the twins survive. Perhaps this beginning contributed to Betty's fiery zest for life and indomitable spirit.

Growing up in Steubenville, OH in an Italian immigrant community during the Great Depression, Betty knew hard work and resourceful play, but still had boundless love and great food on the table in her mom's household. She was a self-described tomboy in her youth, playing jacks and baseball with the neighborhood kids and becoming an excellent swimmer.

Her first job was working at Ohio Valley Hospital in Steubenville, just up the hill from her childhood home. Her next jobs reflected one of Betty's true passions – fashion. She sold shoes at Kirby's Shoes, worked at Reiner's clothing store (where she found her dream wedding gown), and modeled hats. This passion continued throughout her life, and you could find Betty dressed to the nines wherever she went.

In 1949, Betty met the love of her life, Darius "Doc" Rogers, at a lakeside picnic when that handsome, blue-eyed devil splashed water on her to get her attention. On June 10, 1950, they were married. This playful banter and teasing continued throughout their marriage. In fact, if you asked Doc, he'd tell you they had only had one fight – It just had lasted 69 years. We hope that Doc has been resting peacefully for the last five years, as we're sure they are about to pick up where they left off.

Betty and Doc had many adventures throughout their 69 years of marriage. They loved traveling the country with their children and, later, their grandchildren, making yearly (or more frequent) family vacations a priority in their lives. As the years passed, traveling became the rule rather than the exception, and Betty and Doc hit the open road, going to motorcoach rallies across the country (a personal favorite being Notre Dame), eventually having visited every one of the 48 contiguous US states in their motorcoaches over the years. In addition to their love of travel, in their youth, Betty and Doc loved bowling (with Betty once achieving a perfect 300) and roller-dancing among other hobbies. In 1960, after having three kids, Betty was selected to be the bat girl for Ozark Ike, a baseball personality, when he came to town. As bat girl, she strutted onto the field in white shorts and boots, while her family cheered her on from the stands.

In her 50s, Betty was blessed with her youngest daughter. Years before, she and her mother were walking along the beach, and Betty found a baby shoe in the sand. Her mom predicted she would raise another baby, and when Betsie came along, she did. Her youngest gave her a whole new lease on life – she was a band mom, a cheering mom, and so much more.

Betty was a lifelong learner with a curious spirit and fascination with technology. She always wanted the newest camera, iPad, or cell phone. She was active on Facebook and Instagram, she texted and Facetimed with her kids and grandkids, and she loved to shop online. She taught herself Photoshop and loved to use her computer to make special cards for her family and friends. If she had been born in a different time, with her fascination, appreciation, and dexterity with technology, who knows what her vocation may have been.

Learning was a lifelong endeavor, but Betty always said that her best education came from her fifteen years of volunteer work at St. Francis School, where she volunteered in the office, substitute taught modern math, and taught Sunday school. At St. Francis, she worked closely with Sr. Lucilla and Msgr. Capelli, who became lifelong friends.

Throughout her life, Betty loved the arts (from opera to Korean rom-coms) and design (from clothing to home and holiday decorations). Betty was a natural performer and comedian, played the trumpet in band, and was a singer and costume director for the Sweet Adelines choral group for years. She also made clothing and costumes for her children and grandchildren, made ceramics, and loved to draw and paint, including picking drawing back up as recently as this past Christmas. She thoroughly enjoyed decorating for the holidays, especially at Christmastime, and in fact, this year, she had three Valentine's Day trees in her home.

In addition to being a woman before her time with countless interests, hobbies, and adventures, Betty loved her family immeasurably. As a proud Italian, Betty was unsurprisingly a wonderful cook – making Italian classics, hosting spaghetti dinners in her home, and teaching her kids and grandkids Italian cooking and baking traditions (her wedding soup, ravioli, meatballs, pizzelles, biscotti, and an Italian pineapple sponge cake – an Easter favorite, were unparalleled). She attended all of her kids' and grandkids' activities from being a den mother when her boys were in Cub Scouts to supporting her kids and grandkids at band, cheering, plays, choir, softball games, and much more. Appropriate to her love of the arts and technology, as her kids and grandkids grew, she always had a camera or video camera in her hand and documented much of her family's life and travel in beautiful pictures and family videos. Her home was always open to her kids, grandkids, and their friends. She cultivated a lasting legacy for her family, including instilling values of taking life by the reins, putting family first, being true to oneself in all circumstances, being generous in spirit, and having a sense of humor in all things.

Betty is survived by her four children, Marion (Karl Churman) Hitchcock of Toronto, OH, Frank (Karen Boggs) Rogers of Texas, Jon (Monica) Rogers of Wintersville, and Betsie (Ronnie) Michnowicz of Coraopolis, PA, as well as Harry (Suzanne) Cummings who became like a third son; seven grandchildren, Meredith (Adam Yencho) Hitchcock of Chicago, IL, Kelsey (Daniel Frick) Hitchcock of Carnegie, PA, Rhiannon and Harold Rogers of New York, NY, Francesca, Luca, and Dominic Michnowicz of Coraopolis, PA; three step-grandchildren, Neil (Holly) Churman of Glenshaw, PA, Kyle (Lauren Shoemaker) Churman of Erie, PA, and Kayla Churman of Pittsburgh, PA; two great-grandchildren, Caroline and Louisa Churman; and many godchildren. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Darius "Doc" Rogers; her son-in-law, George J. Hitchcock; her seven siblings, Frank Pompa, Albert Pompa, Mary (Pompa) Linton, Vincent DeLaurentis, Dominic "Mimi" DeLaurentis, Mary Louise (DeLaurentis) Boggia, and her twin, Joseph Pompa; and her beloved parents, Daniel Pompa and Mariannina (Luciani) Pompa.

While we are sure there will be many tears in the coming days, Betty wanted her funeral to be a "party" – a celebration of a life more than well-lived. If Betty was special to you, we hope that you will join us in celebrating this incredible woman.

Visitation will take place on Friday, March 7 from 4 PM to 8 PM at the J.E. Foster Funeral Home in Toronto, with eulogies and reflections at 7:30. A Funeral Liturgy with Mass will be held Saturday at 10 AM at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Toronto. Fr. Thomas Vennitti will celebrate, and burial will follow in the Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Steubenville.

Everyone is invited to attend the luncheon at 7 Ranges in Steubenville following the services at the cemetery.

In honor of Betty's devotion to St. Francis School and St. Francis Parish, donations can be made to the St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Toronto, OH.