Bette Hahner

Bette Hahner of Chatham passed away peacefully at Liberty Commons on March 27th.
Bette was born November 24, 1941 to Marjorie and Eric Trouw in New York. She grew up in Parkchester and enjoyed all that New York City had to offer. When she married her husband Jeff, they moved to Westport, Connecticut where they spent 28 great years. But their happiest times began when they retired and moved to Chatham in 2000.
  Bette loved two things most: entertaining and gardening. In Westport she excelled in doing clambakes, corporate picnics and dinners for friends and neighbors. In Chatham, despite spending endless hours in her home gardens, she found time to manage luncheons and events for the Chatham Garden Club, Monomoy Yacht Club, Chatham-Harwich Newcomers Club, CONCH and Friends of the Eldredge Library. She worked tirelessly on Garden Club projects and activities, and was responsible for recruiting many new members. Securing volunteers wasn’t a problem: people loved to work with her.
Bette worked for fifteen years seasonally in the Chatham Permit/Sticker Office and got to know everyone in town. After she left she worked at the Freedom Ferry in Harwich Port and was a friendly face in the ticket office. For many years she was also a friendly face in First Night Chatham Headquarters selling buttons.
Bette was a past president of The Chatham Garden Club, a member of the Board of the Friends of the Eldredge Public Library, and active on the First Night Chatham Committee.
In 2024, she and Jeff moved to Park Place in Chatham for what Bette said were two of the best years of her life. In 2025 she was honored by being named Grand Marshal of the July 4th parade in Chatham.
Bette leaves Jeff, her loving and devoted husband of 64 years, and her beloved son Tim of Bloomington, Minnesota. She also leaves her “You’re so cute” little dog Emmie. The family requests that donations be made in her name to the Chatham Garden Club.
A Celebration of Life will take place at the First Congregational Church of Chatham, 650 Main St, Chatham on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 2:00.