Beth Healey, professor and political activist, dies at 83

Elizabeth “Beth” Healey, 83, of Princeton, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 6, at the Merwick Care and Rehabilitation Center in Plainsboro.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1942, Beth grew up in Wellesley, Massachusetts. After graduating from Wellesley High School and Wellesley College, she joined the Peace Corps and was assigned to Turkey, where she taught English and met her future husband, James “Jim” Healey.

Beth went on to earn a master’s degree in history from Boston College, where she also taught, and later became a Ph.D. candidate at Stony Brook University. She dedicated 49 years of her career to teaching as a professor of history at the Community College of Philadelphia, retiring in 2018.

A proud Princeton resident since 1976, Beth quickly grew to love the community and became deeply involved in local politics. She managed campaigns at the county, state, and federal levels. She was an active member of the Wellesley College Alumnae Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO), and St. Paul’s Church in Princeton.

Beth was the daughter of the late Philip W. and Elizabeth (Foley) Johnston. She is survived by her devoted husband of 57 years, Jim Healey; her son Christopher and his wife Patrice; and her beloved grandchildren, Harrison and Sophia. She is also survived by her sister Suzanne Knight and many loving relatives in Massachusetts. Beth was predeceased by her siblings Kate Coffey, Cynthia Johnston Bergan, and Philip Johnston.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, September 20, at 10 a.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 216 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ. Burial will follow at Princeton Cemetery, with a reception to be held afterward.

Visitation will take place on Friday, September 19, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton.