April 5, 1957 – April 30, 2022
Elizabeth Susanne Wasiluk, 65, of Martinsburg, WV, peacefully passed away on April 30th, surrounded by loved ones at the Berkeley Medical Center.
Elizabeth, referred to as “Betty” by her cousins and friends in NY and in CA, was born on April 5, 1957, to Jon and Melania Drost Wasiluk. After graduating from John F. Kennedy High School in NY, Elizabeth earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Medaille College in Buffalo, NY, on May 23, 1979. She pursued additional coursework at Buffalo State College, University of Arizona, West Virginia University, Penn State University, Ashland University, and the University of Hawaii.
After graduation, Elizabeth would say her greatest adventure would be moving herself to Nebraska, Florida, and West Virginia from her home state of New York. All in pursuit of her favorite job; being a planetarium director. This led to accomplishments like winning the Brennan Award in 1999 from The Astronomical Society of the Pacific, The Celebrate Women Award, and becoming a fellow of The International Planetarium Society.
Because of her love of the stars, Elizabeth became active in many organizations like the Tristate Astronomers, Shenandoah Astronomical Society, South Eastern Planetarium Association, and The International Planetarium Association. She was passionate about sharing with others the wonders of the night sky: space, stars, and the planets. Many students would describe their time in her planetarium at Hedgesville High School as “amazing”. Students and teachers often stated that Ms. Wasiluk really loved her content, and made it exciting! In addition to her love of the “night sky”, she also enjoyed trivia. She was a member of a trivia team that was comprised mostly of teachers from Hedgesville High School. To Elizabeth, trivia night was not only about answering challenging questions, but also spending time with her closest friends and colleagues.
When asked to describe the most important thing in life, her response was, “The books you read, the people you meet, the people you help, the programs you listen to, the movies you watch, the places you go, the people in your life you love. It should be Christ and God.”
Elizabeth, “Betty” Wasiluk will be greatly missed for her unique sense of humor and her immense care of others. You can help continue her kindness, loyalty, and compassion by making a donation to Tristate Astronomers, Shenandoah Astronomical Society, or The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in her memory.
A funeral mass will be held at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Martinsburg West Virginia on Friday, May 20, 2022 at 5:00 PM. This service is open to all who knew and loved her.