Bettyanne Bethea Twigg (1931-2021)

Bettyanne Bethea Twigg (1931-2021)

The following excerpt focuses upon the professional and scholarly achievements of Bettyanne Bethea Twigg. The full obituary can be found at the Scarpelli Funeral Home website link at https://www.scarpellifh.com/obituaries/Bettyanne-Bethea-Twigg?obId=23402633#/obituaryInfo

“Bettyanne Twigg was an internationally-renowned authority on antique dolls and their preservation. She joined the Dollology Club of Washington, DC, a United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC) affiliate in 1969 while she was raising her young family. She came to the club as a craftsman designing and selling ideas (which often included dolls created under the name ‘Elspeth’), to national publications serving women's interests. Her creativity, boundless energy, and interests were legendary in her field. Her myriad of contributions to UFDC were recognized first in 1987, followed by another award for Outstanding Contributions to the Doll World in 1990, and an unprecedented third such award in 2005. In 1990, at the height of its membership, Bettyanne stepped on the UFDC management ladder moving over the next ten years into the role of President of UFDC.
Bettyanne not only served the doll-collecting community through her management capabilities, but her emphasis on preservation was nearest to her heart. Perhaps her most memorable contribution to the UFDC was the founding of their Museum, Library, and Archives in Kansas City. The facility was state of the art for its time and included a conservation facility. In consultation with The Smithsonian Institution conservation staff, she worked on developing a ‘do no harm’ preservation technique for unskilled collectors who wished to stabilize their dolls. She wrote a series of articles covering the major materials associated with antique dolls in the mid 1990s, guiding collectors in proper preservation of their dolls. She believed, "The study of dolls is the study of mankind" by noting the materials used, how they were made, their costuming and accessories which all reflected political climes and dress fashions of their period. She created an educational slide lecture titled, "History as Reflected in Dolls" and traveled internationally presenting it to museums, doll clubs, and organizations focused on history and preservation. Dolls dating from 301 AD to the present were featured. She believed dolls presented the most accurate picture of the social mores of their time. She became an instructor on the preservation of dolls at The Smithsonian Institute and a consultant for the Smithsonian's traveling exhibits as well as a consultant at The White House on preservation. Her personal doll collection was on display at The Smithsonian Institute.”

Bettyanne Twigg was married to Dr. Homer Lee Twigg and they had six sons; Homer Lee III, Theodore, Robert, John, Richard and Michael.