Linda Betts Frazier, 89, of Harrisonburg, passed on to the Lord on Friday, May 30, 2008.

She was the daughter of the late Fred K. Betts, Jr. and Linda Evelyn Bibb Betts. A lifelong resident of Harrisonburg, she graduated from Harrisonburg High School, Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, and at age 66, received the first Master’s of Music from James Madison University.

Linda was a gifted musician and performer and an important contributor to the fabric of our community. As a youth, she lived in a house on Court Square, she sang and danced on the stage of the old Virginia theater, as a teen she broadcast her own radio show from WSVA’s downtown studio. She developed her beautiful voice into a light and agile coloratura soprano. She was lead soprano of the Westminster College Touring Choir in 1939 and toured all 48 states. She sang on the original soundtrack of Walt Disney’s Fantasia under the direction of Leopold Stokowski.

One summer home from college, she met the love of her life, Robert Y. Frazier. They married in June 1942 at First Presbyterian Church in a large Naval wedding. She pursued her career as a church music director and vocal instructor in many different communities during the early WWII years. While her husband was in the Pacific theater, she and her mother established an enemy aircraft early warning station at their hilltop home east of town. This station was manned 24 hours a day during the war, had a direct line to Langley Army Air Base, and involved hundreds of local people in the war effort.

After the war, she and her husband decided to stay in Harrisonburg and started The Frazier Quarry in 1946.

Linda Betts chose not to pursue a professional singing career in New York City and instead devoted her life’s energy to her family, music, connecting people to their historical roots, and community service. Her boundless energy and enthusiasm led to achievements that touched many lives.

Musically, she shared her gifts and training by organizing the Rockingham Community Chorus, as a Choir Director at Asbury United Methodist and Temple Beth-El; as a voice instructor at Shenandoah Conservatory in Dayton and James Madison University; and as a soloist for hundreds of weddings and funerals throughout the area.

An enthusiastic genealogist, she traced dozens of family lines to find ancestors that qualified for the Daughters of the American Revolution, United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Jamestowne Society, Daughters of Founders and Patriots, and many other historical organizations.

Linda and her mother organized the Rockingham Home Demonstration Club in the late 1940s, she was elected one of the first woman elders in the Presbyterian Church, a long-time board member of the Salvation Army, Shenandoah University, and the Virginia Quilt Museum. She recently spearheaded a project to preserve the remains of city founder Thomas Harrison and re-inter them at Woodbine cemetery and also organized the Shenandoah Valley Company of the Jamestowne Society enrolling over 30 descendants of Jamestowne settlers.

In essence, Linda was a woman of singular energy and talent and grace.

Linda is survived by: her husband, Robert Y. Frazier; two sons, Robert Betts Frazier and Bibb Yost Frazier; her daughters-in-law: Dolly Sease Frazier and Paula Knupp Frazier; nine grandchildren: Robert, David, Austin, Michael, Cy, Macie, and Janie Frazier, Amanda and Simon Kyger. She is pre-deceased by her only brother, Fred K. Betts, III and two infant sons.

A memorial service, conducted by Dr. John Sloop, will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday at First Presbyterian Church on Court Square in Harrisonburg. The family invites friends to stay for a reception following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Virginia Quilt Museum Building Fund, 301 S. Main St., Harrisonburg, Va. 22801.

If you have a memory of Linda’s life you would like to share, please take a couple of minutes to leave a phone message sharing your memory. Her family has set up a special answering machine line at 540-437-9449 for this purpose.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.kygers.com 

	11. 03-06-2008 09:54
	Linda Frazier served as Organizing Governor of the Shenandoah Valley Company of the Jamestowne Society. She was very interested in her connection to the First Permanent English Settlement in America, and devoted her energy and efforts to establishing the new Company in the Western part of the state. The Shenandoah Valley Company will greatly miss her, I'm sure, as will the Jamestowne Society overall. As Governor of the Chesapeake Bay Company, I extend to her family and friends our sincere sympathy at your loss.

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	12. 03-06-2008 20:34
	Our condolences to the Frazier family.  May God's Love comfort you all during this  difficult time of loss.

William [Butch] Lambert & fami

	13. 05-06-2008 07:31
	I just cannot imagine my life without my dear Linda. She called me frequently to share many things as we both have had health issues that have kept us from visiting as we would have liked. Last week when she called she was so thrilled when she told me how much she like this new granddaughter-in-law she was getting and how priviledge she felt in living to meet her.    You all, as Linda's family, have wonderful memories, just as I do of all the many special times I have spent with her over the years as her friend. She will live forever in my heart and memory as she will in the lives of all the others who were forunate enough to have known her.  Billie Jo

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	14. 05-06-2008 12:19
	Although we were unable to participate in today's memorial service, we trust you will be comforted by friends and parrishioners.  Your home was open to our daughtter while at HHS and youth club which is a favorite memory they share. We all loved to hear Linda's voice. She inspied us by through her music and her love of family.   with prayers,

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	15. 09-06-2008 13:16
	I have so many fond memories of Mrs. Frazier. She was my first vocal coach in the 1970's and we had some wonderful times during my training. I now live in Nashville and am a member of UDC so I hope can carry on the legacy. I would love to hear the music Mrs. Frazier wrote for the UDC as I still do many performances for the organization.

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	16. 19-06-2008 18:31
	Linda was my Aunt...I am the oldest daughter of her Brother, Fred K. Betts, III...She also had another niece, Melody, as well as a nephew, Fred K. Betts, IV...Although we never had the opportunity to get to know her very well, our prayers and kind thoughts go out to her family…We truly understand the impact such a loss has on a family…May God comfort you in this time of sadness…and allow you to rejoice in the fact you had the opportunity to love her.

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	17. 26-06-2008 18:40
	On behalf of the Beth El Congregation, We send our deepest sympathies. She is fondly remembered. Our prayers are with you.  Sincerely, Becky Mintzer, Beth El Secretary

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	18. 30-06-2008 14:59
	Dear Family,  On behalf of the Association of Past Ruritan National Presidents we want you to know that we all share in your loss. We hope that knowing others care and share in your loss you will find comfort in these trying days. We will keep each of you in our thoughts and prayers.

John L. Hancock, Secretary of

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