Elizabeth Lee Kern, who worked meticulously in several information technology roles at the University of Hartford for 40 years, died on April 6.
Kern, known to her family, friends, and colleagues as Betsy, led an active and enjoyable life before, during, and after her UHart career.
"I was fortunate to work for Betsy early in my career. I learned so much from her, and many of the digital technology processes she created are still in use today," notes Mary Ellen Smith, director of application services in UHart's ITS department. "I have so many happy memories of spending time with Betsy here on campus—such as all the stories she loved to share about her grandchildren."
Kern was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, and raised in Terre Haute and St. Louis, Missouri. As a girl, she shared her love of animals with a passion for reading. Family members eagerly recount stories of her and her beloved horse Buck, as well as tales of being caught reading books by flashlight long after she was supposed to have been asleep.
Kern attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she studied computer programming—and also met her husband, Mike. Following graduation, she worked in data processing and systems management at the University of Virginia, which was a fairly rare professional opportunity for women in the early 1970s. Her husband's career eventually led them to Connecticut, where she landed a position with UHart in 1985. Kern retired in 2015.
“I’ll remember Betsy for being a force of quiet intensity,” says Minh Nguyen, ITS application services project manager. “She was always in high demand from all corners of the university, and I consider it a privilege to have watched her brilliant mind at work, and her natural ability to problem solve and stay calm under pressure. Betsy touched so many at the University, whether you worked with her, golfed with her, or occasionally visited to say ‘hello’ while a Cardinals game played softly in the background.”