Obituary for Elizabeth "Betty" Ballou
DRACUT- Elizabeth “Betty” (Fratus) Ballou 86, beloved wife of Don E. Ballou and the loving daughter of the late Arthur and Ada Fratus of Lowell, passed away comfortably at her home on Tuesday evening, April 5, 2022. Betty was raised in the Collinsville section of Dracut, where she found her first meaningful childhood friendships. She maintained these friendships for over 60 years, and they became a huge part of all the great things that Betty was.
Betty later attended and graduated from Dracut High School; it was here that she met her first husband Telemachus “Ted” Kemos. Together they had three children: Lisa, Steve, and James Kemos. In their years as a family, they shared fond memories of vacationing in Greece, family ski trips at Pat’s Peak, and summers spent at Seabrook Beach. In addition to thriving in her role as a mother, Betty took great pride in her career as the executive secretary for the Town of Dracut. She served the Town of Dracut from 1977 to 1983. She was later the executive secretary of Redland Construction Company and Dobroth & Fryer Inc. Developers, where she met her second and surviving husband Don.
Betty and Don enjoyed traveling, taking trips to Bermuda, and spending time at their vacation home in East Falmouth. For those that knew Betty well, it wasn’t the traveling that she loved as much as it was her company. Her greatest joys came from relaxing in the den of her home on Colburn Avenue completing crossword puzzles. One of her simpler pleasures was going out for lunch. Betty and her husband Don would go out to lunch almost daily. They were some of the most beloved patrons at the local tavern.
Betty’s greatest love was gathering her family together. She was notorious for being the last person to sit down to the dinner table, who often needed reminding that it was her turn to sit and relax herself. She was a staple for every holiday, and one would never feel complete without her. Her fondest memory was the laughter of her grandchildren while playing in her backyard.
She loved fiercely and deeply and will be missed greatly by those who were closest to her. She is survived by her children, Lisa Kemos, Steve Kemos, James Kemos and his significant other Amanda Chamberlain; her grandchildren Jean Paul Fernandes and his significant other Sophie Sousa, Matthew Fernandes and his significant other Lindsay L’Heureux, Kristin Wadsworth (Kemos) and her husband Andrew Wadsworth, James Kemos and his significant other Christina Codero, Zakary Kemos and his wife Thalia Kemos, Samantha Kemos, Stephen Kemos and his significant other Paula Medeiros, and George Kemos; her great grandchildren Dominic Fernandes, Elena Fernandes, Jakson Wadsworth, Easton Wadsworth, Gianna Kemos, and Anthony Kemos. With special love and gratitude to Lisa Fernandes and Sophie Sousa for taking care of Betty during the last months of her life.
In addition to her loving parents, Elizabeth is predeceased by her sister, Dorothy “Dotty” Carrol and her daughter-in-law, Jodi Kemos.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, April 11th at 10am at St. Francis Church, 115 Wheeler Rd., Dracut. KINDLY MEET AT THE CHURCH. Interment will follow in Oakland Cemetery, Dracut.
Betty later attended and graduated from Dracut High School; it was here that she met her first husband Telemachus “Ted” Kemos. Together they had three children: Lisa, Steve, and James Kemos. In their years as a family, they shared fond memories of vacationing in Greece, family ski trips at Pat’s Peak, and summers spent at Seabrook Beach. In addition to thriving in her role as a mother, Betty took great pride in her career as the executive secretary for the Town of Dracut. She served the Town of Dracut from 1977 to 1983. She was later the executive secretary of Redland Construction Company and Dobroth & Fryer Inc. Developers, where she met her second and surviving husband Don.
Betty and Don enjoyed traveling, taking trips to Bermuda, and spending time at their vacation home in East Falmouth. For those that knew Betty well, it wasn’t the traveling that she loved as much as it was her company. Her greatest joys came from relaxing in the den of her home on Colburn Avenue completing crossword puzzles. One of her simpler pleasures was going out for lunch. Betty and her husband Don would go out to lunch almost daily. They were some of the most beloved patrons at the local tavern.
Betty’s greatest love was gathering her family together. She was notorious for being the last person to sit down to the dinner table, who often needed reminding that it was her turn to sit and relax herself. She was a staple for every holiday, and one would never feel complete without her. Her fondest memory was the laughter of her grandchildren while playing in her backyard.
She loved fiercely and deeply and will be missed greatly by those who were closest to her. She is survived by her children, Lisa Kemos, Steve Kemos, James Kemos and his significant other Amanda Chamberlain; her grandchildren Jean Paul Fernandes and his significant other Sophie Sousa, Matthew Fernandes and his significant other Lindsay L’Heureux, Kristin Wadsworth (Kemos) and her husband Andrew Wadsworth, James Kemos and his significant other Christina Codero, Zakary Kemos and his wife Thalia Kemos, Samantha Kemos, Stephen Kemos and his significant other Paula Medeiros, and George Kemos; her great grandchildren Dominic Fernandes, Elena Fernandes, Jakson Wadsworth, Easton Wadsworth, Gianna Kemos, and Anthony Kemos. With special love and gratitude to Lisa Fernandes and Sophie Sousa for taking care of Betty during the last months of her life.
In addition to her loving parents, Elizabeth is predeceased by her sister, Dorothy “Dotty” Carrol and her daughter-in-law, Jodi Kemos.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, April 11th at 10am at St. Francis Church, 115 Wheeler Rd., Dracut. KINDLY MEET AT THE CHURCH. Interment will follow in Oakland Cemetery, Dracut.