Betty Mellor Obituary, Death – Betty Kullman Mellor, age 97, of Hatboro, Pennsylvania, passed away at her home on March 1 due to an inability to thrive. She was a longtime psychiatric social worker and the former director of social services for the Centennial School District. She was also a teacher and mentor to students from elementary school through grad school, a social activist, and an adventurer.

Mrs. Mellor spent nearly 30 years working in the Special Services Department for Centennial schools, a position she held because she had a lifelong interest in matters relating to education and social welfare. She began her work in this field in 1964 and continued it until she retired in 1992, during which time she connected students and families in Ivyland, Upper Southampton Township, and Warminster Township with teachers, school officials, counselors, and consultants of all stripes so that they could address a wide range of issues.

She was responsible for the funding and development of child care programs as well as alternative classes for teen parents. Also, she oversaw the evaluation of additional curricula and led the Head Start program that assisted young children in the school district. According to Kris Soffa, her daughter, “She could make whatever it was that she was working on come out better, faster, and on schedule and under budget regardless of what it was.”

“She was the first woman to be liberated and a pioneer in the movement.” Field Teaching in a Public School, which was published in 1994, and additional research articles on school social work were co-authored by Mrs. Mellor. She was given a recognition of accomplishment from the Centennial School District in the year 1981. She was presented with a Pennsylvania school social worker award in the year 1990.

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