Betsey Detwiler, founder of Buttonwood Books and Toys, Cohasset, Mass., died February 27. She was 91. Detwiler launched Buttonwood in 1989 with her daughter-in-law, Kathy Detwiler, who purchased the store when Betsey Detwiler retired in 2013.
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"With a background as a teacher and mother of five sons, Betsey had a natural gift for running a bookstore and a passion for placing just the right book into a reader's hands," a post on the bookshop's Facebook page noted. "Through many changes in the publishing world--from store relocations to the rise of chain stores, e-readers, and online competitors--Betsey's dedication and creativity helped Buttonwood thrive....
"Betsey especially loved connecting readers with authors, including many cherished local writers. Thanks to her leadership, Buttonwood became a pillar of the community, serving schools, families, and loyal customers for generations. A lifelong reader, Betsey continued sharing book recommendations with staff until her final days.... Betsey's legacy will live on in the stories she loved, the community she built, and the readers she inspired."
Her obituary highlighted Detwiler's commitment to social causes and the community she lived in. As a strong proponent of equal rights for women, she was local president of the League of Women Voters. As an advocate for the developmentally disabled, she spent years developing tailored curricula and teaching many students at Hingham South Elementary School. She also donated generously to those causes, and in 1989 was celebrated by Road to Responsibility--an organization supporting the needs of developmentally disabled adults--as its Woman of the Year.