Elizabeth "Betty" Jane Langer

Elizabeth (Betty) Jane Langer, 92, passed away Sept. 16, 2026. She was born Feb. 15,1934, in Marion County, WV, to Anthony and Helen (Dranzo) Shumsky. A graduate of Plum HS, Betty was raised in Logans Ferry and lived most of her life in Arnold, PA. In addition to her parents, she was proceeded in death by her husband, John J Langer; and brother Walter Shumsky. Betty is survived by sons, John, Michael and Christopher and their spouses; 7 grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren; and her sister, Helen (Shumsky) Pelisari.

A coal miner’s daughter, Betty spent her early life growing up in poverty throughout the coal towns of West Virginia and Logan’s Ferry, Pennsylvania. Her hardworking parents, who often went without even basic luxuries, and the close family bond she shared with the cast of characters who made up her larger family helped shape the woman she would become.

A career waitress, Betty worked at the Marriott Hot Shoppe and Holiday Inn before landing her most coveted position as a waitress at Oakmont Country Club. There, she was exposed to the finer things in life—and discovered that they suited her quite well. She took great pride in being highly requested by members, dazzling “her” guests tableside with her wit, personality, and unmistakable style of service.

Those traits carried into her home life, where Betty loved hosting dinner parties and luncheons in her beloved dining room. She would spend days creating beautiful tablescapes, sometimes fashioning centerpieces from discarded church flowers. There was only one small problem: Betty was a poor cook. This fact never slowed her down. She firmly believed that how food was served was more important than its preparation, and if you were ever a guest at her table, you knew that dinner at Betty’s was always an event.

The self-appointed matriarch of the 1600 block of Leishman Avenue, Betty enjoyed having neighbors come to “sit under the trees” for a cold drink—an invitation that somehow always included a few yard chores. She was equally well known by the neighborhood children, whom she bribed with Hug Jugs in exchange for promises not to pick her flowers.

Betty enjoyed working in her gardens and decorating her home for every holiday. You might not have been able to walk up the front steps for all the decorations, but she could put on a display, and she delighted in the compliments of everyone who passed by.

Mrs. Langer loved fancy things but could be just as satisfied with a yard display made from one-eared rabbits and three-legged cows. She loved China and crystal and anything that sparkled, yet drank her morning coffee from an old, chipped mug that had once held an FTD floral arrangement. Nothing delighted her more than a bejeweled outfit with a matching hat, but she was equally comfortable “scratching in the dirt” with muddy knees.

Betty respected education above almost all else. Though she never had the opportunity to attend college herself, she took enormous pride in the education and accomplishments of her husband, sons, and grandchildren—and rarely missed an opportunity to name-drop a university or two.

“BJ” was a bold, outspoken woman with a sharp wit and a mischievous sense of humor. She was an outlandish grandmother, a fierce protector of her most beloved sister, a proud mother, and a quiet benefactor to people with whom she felt kinship.

Betty’s extravagant personality left its mark as surely on those who knew her for a lifetime as on those who encountered her only briefly. The memory of her, her tall tales, her glamour, her wit, and the sheer outrageousness of it all—will endure for as long as there is a storytelling Langer around to spin a yarn.

Family and friends will be received from 4 to 8:00 PM, Monday, September 21, 2026, in the Joseph J. Cardaro Funeral Home, 1125 Kenneth Ave., New Kensington, 724-337-3325. Parting Prayers will be held at 9:30 AM on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, in the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM at St. Joseph Catholic Church. New Kensington. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Park, Lower Burrell.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly invites you to honor Betty’s memory with a donation in support of medical research. Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer were both part of her journey, donations may be made to either of the following organizations:

Alzheimer’s Research

Cure Alzheimer’s Fund or the

Breast Cancer Research Foundation

www.cardarofuneralhome.com