Elizabeth A. ‘Betty’ Crosson Rutterman

PORTVILLE — Elizabeth A. “Betty” Crosson Rutterman, of Portville, passed away Monday (Sept. 7, 2026) at Elderwood at Hamburg in Hamburg.

Born Oct. 22, 1936 in Kane, Pa., she was the daughter of Garrett and Avonelle Starner Crosson. On May 24, 1958 at St. Mary of the Angels Church in Olean, she married John W. “Jack” Rutterman, who predeceased her Oct. 17, 2016.

Betty lived in Buffalo for a few years and moved to Olean in 1947, where she graduated from Olean High School in 1954. After raising her children, she enjoyed working as the circulation clerk for the Portville Library from 1979 until her retirement in 2019 at age 84.

She was a member of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Olean and was a longtime member of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Family was most important to her.  She was one of the founders of the annual Crosson family reunion, begun in 1967 and now in its 60th year. After the death of their daughter, Linda, Betty and Jack raised Linda’s younger children, Ben and Jessica. In return, Jessica helped care for Betty in her final years.

She leaves behind two sons, Doug (Brenda) Rutterman of Portville and Daniel (Pam Franklin) Rutterman of Morganton, N.C.;  five grandchildren, Ty (Tamara) Warner, Shannon (Steve) Millard, Ben Emick, Bill Rutterman and Jessica (Mark) Quinn; several great- and great-great grandchildren; one brother, Thomas Crosson of Portville; one sister, Paula (Jim) Freitag of Olean; her son David’s companion, Mia O’Brien; and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband Jack, she was predeceased by a daughter, Linda Emick in 2001; a son, David Rutterman in 2025; a sister, Susan Burlingame; a brother-in-law, Lou Burlingame; and sister-in-law, Sharron Crosson.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday (Sept. 11, 2026) at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home, 3128 W. State Road, Olean. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 9:30 a.m. Saturday (Sept. 12, 2026) in the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Olean. Fr. David Tourville, pastor, will be the celebrant. Burial will follow in St. Bonaventure Cemetery.

Memorials, if desired, may be made to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, 202 S. Union St., Olean, NY 14760; or to the Portville Free Library, 2 N. Main St., Portville, NY 14770.