Bettina Havens Letcher

Bettina Havens Letcher (Tina) died July 16, 2023, in hospice care surrounded by her loving family.

Tina was born May 11, 1938 in Rochester, NY to James D. and Gladys Colcord Havens. She grew up in the Rochester area and attended Mount Holyoke College, receiving a degree in English literature in 1959. She then earned an M.A. degree at Brown University and, later, a Ph.D. at the University of Rhode Island.

Her career included teaching ESL to immigrants, which resulted in many new friends, and she also sponsored families coming from Viet Nam, Afghanistan, and Romania. She taught creative writing in the prison and was co-editor of the Northeast Journal, a literary magazine. She devoted energy to the South Providence Neighborhood Ministries, her church’s social action committee, and an ecumenical Peace Group, doing her part to create a loving and just world.

In addition to her family, Tina dedicated her energy to poetry, journal writing and delighting in the natural world. She enjoyed bird walks and exploring hiking trails throughout the local area and around the world. Tina had an immense curiosity that led her to cherish hidden details that she wrote about in thousands of poems and documented in thousands of photographs. That unstoppable curiosity led her to go “aTina-ing,” always looking for the unknown around the next corner. Tina’s smile and energy lit up every room she entered. She poured love into her family, friends, social action and her cats.

Survived by her brother James C. Havens, husband Stephen Letcher, son Benjamin Letcher (Emily Monosson), daughter Abby Letcher (Andrew Hartman), grandchildren Sam Letcher, Sophie Letcher, and Anna Letcher Hartman, and her cat, Alfred.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 18, 2023 at 4:00PM at Kingston Congregational Church, located at 2610 Kingstown Road, Kingston, RI.