Passed on Monday, 13 November 2017

The Rev. Betsy Grace Reed Blomfield, a long-time minister to children and youth, died peacefully at her home  in Westport on Monday, November 13, 2017. She was 76.

The Rev. Blomfield served as Youth Minister at Olivet Congregational Church in Bridgeport from 1981 to 1988; Minister of Christian Education at Lordship Community Church in Stratford from 1978 to 1981; Minister of Christian Education at the United Congregational Church in Tolland in 1973 and 1974; and Minister of Christian Education at First Congregational Church in Vernon from 1966 to 1971.

The Rev. Blomfield also served the wider church: she served as Registrar for the Fairfield East Association, and served the Conference on the Conference Centers Committee, the Resolutions Committee and the Dept. of Christian Education.  She served for 9 years as Summer Youth Conference Dean and 2 years as a counselor and was a UCC Pension Boards Annuitant Visitor.  She also served as Director of the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport’s Urban Ministry Project/Project Learn for many years. She retired in 2008 and moved to Westport.

An accomplished theologian, the Rev. Blomfeld graduated from Bethany College in West Virginia with high honors, and from Yale Divinity with a Doctorate in Divinity.

She is survived by her loving husband, Bruce, her sons; Lyman Dale Reed and his wife, Tracy, and her son Brandon Duer, of Salem, MA, and Adam Reed of Bridgeport; her stepson Matthew Braunstein and his wife Melissa, and their children Madison, Mackenzie, and Morgan of Canterbury, CT. She was predeceased by her first husband, Reverend Lyman Reed.

A funeral service was held Monday, Nov. 20, at 11:00 AM at Green’s Farms Church in Westport. In lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to the Bridgeport Rescue Mission, PO Box 9057 Bridgeport, CT 06601-9057. 

Read her full obituary here