Obituary: Elizabeth “Betty” Colby Tobin, 99, of Branford

Obituary courtesy of W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home:

Elizabeth “Betty” Colby Tobin, 99, of Branford, Connecticut, passed away December 1, 2023.

After being widowed for 34 years, Betty joined her beloved husband in heaven, six months shy of a century here on earth.

Betty was born in May of 1924 in the East Longmeadow area of Springfield, Massachusetts to the late Catherine and Seabury Colby. Betty was the youngest of 3 sisters. She married John “Jack” Tobin on April 21, 1946 who preceded her in death in January of 1989. After traveling around various parts of New England, the couple found their forever home in Branford, CT where they settled in 1972. Betty lived in that same home for over 50 years and enjoyed some of her last days admiring her view.

She was an active member of the First Congregational Church of Branford for several decades. She followed almost every sport including golf, tennis, football, baseball and basketball and she was especially a fan of UConn’s basketball programs. Betty was an avid Bridge player where she fostered beautiful lifelong friendships with several members of the community. In her earlier years, she traveled around the country with her husband playing in competitions and seeing beauty in everything along the way. She loved the beach and being in the water – she was restless and wouldn’t want to just sit on the beach, but rather experience the feeling of the ocean – a trait she passed down to many of her family.

Betty attended a secretarial business school and spent a short time working in that setting. This was so she could get started on her real work, her true work, her life – creating, cultivating, and caring for a beautiful family. Which she did all the way to her very last day.

She is survived by her four children Alan Tobin (and his wife In Suk Tobin), Kathleen Hladyk (and her husband Andrew Hladyk), Charles “Chuck” Tobin (and his wife Janet Tobin), and Carol Tobin. She also leaves behind several grandchildren: Robert Tobin, Jeffrey Hladyk, Jennifer Kilsey (and her husband Todd Kilsey), Christine Baker, Stephanie Giordano, Scott Tobin (and wife Sarah Borgnis-Tobin), and Megan Tobin (and her husband Dave Kemner). Betty was also blessed to leave behind ten great grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held on Friday at 11:00 at the W.S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main St. Branford. Burial will follow in Branford Center Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Branford Compassion Club, 2037 Foxon Rd. , North Branford, CT 06471.