Elizabeth 'Betty' Kohman Lutz

Elizabeth "Betty" Kohman Lutz, 86, Tucson, Ariz., and formerly of Barrington, Ill., passed into eternal life on Sunday, Dec. 13, with loving family by her side.

She was born June 29, 1923, in Pittsburgh, Pa., the daughter of Henry Adolph and Mildred (Nicholls) Kohman. On Sept. 16, 1949, she married Cedric William Lutz; and he preceded her in death.

She graduated from Wellesley College, Mass., in 1944, with a degree in psychology. As a flight attendant for TWA in the early years of the commercial international airline industry, she flew both domestic and international routes, working on DC3 aircraft. She then returned home to Pittsburgh to run her father's business, Kohman Salt Rising Yeast and Improver Company.

She was a member of The Holy Way Presbyterian Church in Tucson, Ariz. She was an advocate for many charitable causes and gave most generously.

She loved opera and was active in the Arizona Opera of Tucson. She was an avid bowler; enjoyed traveling and seeing the world; and was a passionate bridge player, achieving the American Contract Bridge League's distinguished ranking of Gold Life Master in November of 2006.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and one brother, Robert Nicholls Kohman.

A memorial service will be conducted Saturday, Dec. 19, at 4 p.m., at Neidecker, LeVeck and Crosser Funeral Home, Peninsula Chapel, 7755 E. Harbor Road, Lakeside-Marblehead. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 3 p.m. until the time of the service. An additional memorial service will be held in Tucson, Ariz., at a later date in January 2010. Interment will be in Homewood Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Those wishing to give memorials in Betty's name are asked to consider Stein Hospice, 1200 Sycamore Line, Sandusky, OH 44870 (www.steinhospice .org); The American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718 (www.cancer.org) or Arizona Opera at 3501 North Mountain Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719 (www.azopera.com). Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.nei deckerleveckcrosser.com.