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Betsy Meyer
Elizabeth “Betsy” Meyer of Asheville, North Carolina, and formerly of Southampton, died on May 18, after a long battle with cancer. She was 78.
Born to Edward and Carol Kahn in New York City, she attended Cornell University for a year before transferring to Queens College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree.
She moved to Southampton in the early 1970s with her two daughters and opened her first small business, Stringbean, a children’s clothing boutique featuring her fun yet practical designs. Over the years, she applied her creativity and talents in many ways to support her family, from picking flowers and arranging bouquets to cooking delicious meals as a personal chef.
It was as a kitchen and bath designer that she made her creative mark. She received numerous awards and built her business, Betsy Meyer Associates, in Water Mill. She possessed a unique ability to grasp her clients’ needs, her family said, creating kitchen designs that were aesthetically pleasing and highly functional. Her exceptional talent led her to serve clients like the late Jean Kennedy Smith.
In retirement, Meyer developed her lifelong passion for fiber art that included hand dyeing and spinning yarn that she used to weave one-of-a-kind tapestries. After relocating to Asheville, she joined the Southern Highlands Craft Guild. Her fiber wall art hangings adorned numerous juried exhibitions and galleries, including the Marquee in the River Arts District in Asheville.
Meyer’s weaving style beautifully intertwined her love for fibers and exploration of different cultures. She incorporated small pieces of repurposed clothing and mementos from her travels, weaving them into her tapestries to tell captivating and unique stories.
She leaves behind many cherished friends, her family said. Her daughters wished to express their profound gratitude for the outpouring of love and support during her journey with cancer.
“Betsy leaves behind a rich tapestry of memories, woven with love, creativity, and friendship,” her family said.
She was predeceased by her son, William “Billy” Meyer; and her brother, Donald Kahn. She is survived by her daughters, Sandi Duverneuil (Nice, France) and Allison O’Connor (Dennis) (Fairfax, Virginia); her grandsons, Nicolas, Max, Leo, and Carlo; her sister, Jean Thomas (Andrew Dory); niece (Carolyn Kahn-Hall); and nephew (Chuck Kahn).
Memorial services to celebrate her life will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either Hope Chest for Women, P.O. Box 5294, Asheville, NC 28813, to provide financial assistance to women battling cancer, or ArtsAVL, P.O. Box 507, Asheville, NC 28802, to support arts in local schools.
Staff Writer on May 22, 2023