Betty Marshall

Elizabeth Ann Marshall (née Nath; December 17, 1918 – March 29, 2013) was an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party. In 1971, Marshall was elected as the first female member of the York, Pennsylvania, city council. Marshall was elected Mayor of York, Pennsylvania, in November 1977. She took office in January 1978 as the city's first elected female mayor, serving until January 1982.

Early life Marshall was born in Methuen, Massachusetts, on December 17, 1918. Her father, Simon Nath, was a Jewish immigrant to the United States, while her mother, Ella (née McCoy) Nath, was originally from rural New Hampshire. On November 8, 1977, Betty Marshall was elected Mayor of York, Pennsylvania, the first woman elected to hold that office in the city's history.

Marshall was inaugurated in January 1978. Marshall oversaw major renovations within downtown York during her tenure as mayor, which was met by some community opposition. Marshall restored the main buildings on York Square. She expanded the sidewalks and planted trees in the neighborhood surrounding Continental Square. She also supported the shrinking of Market Street, which encouraged shoppers on foot to return to the downtown shopping district. New parking garages were also constructed.

Marshall is also credited with creating a new industrial park, which aided the city's declining industrial base. She spearheaded a residential gentrification project called "Back to the City" to encourage new residents. The United States Department of State selected Marshall to visit Hungary, as part of a program which allowed American mayors to visit countries within the Warsaw Pact. She was also an active member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities.

Betty Marshall sought election to a second, four-year term in 1981. However, she was defeated for re-election in November 1981 by Republican challenger William Althaus. She left office in January 1982, but remained active in politics and local organizations into her 80s and 90s.

Marshall worked to revive the local Democratic Party throughout the 2000s. She served on the board of directors of the National Organization for Women. Marshall organized the city's first Charette symposium specifically to address urban issues. She volunteered with the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center, York Little Theatre, and YMCA, among other organizations.

In 2011, Marshall testified in favor of the reauthoritization of the Older Americans Act of 1965 before the U.S. Special Committee on Aging.

Marshall was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2008, which went into remission after chemotherapy. She died at her home on Florida Avenue in York on March 29, 2013, at the age of 94. She was survived by her three children. Her husband, Howard, died in 2001.

York Mayor Kim Bracey, the second woman elected mayor of the city, released a statement via Facebook after news of Marshall's death, "I am deeply saddened at the passing of York's First female Mayor, Elizabeth Marshall. My condolences go out to her family and friends. She was a true visionary for York and will be greatly missed."