Elizabeth Blair (1919-1987)

Mrs "Betty" (Blair) Eggert, of "Maizefield" Dutchess Co., New York

Associated Houses

Maizefield

75 West Market Street, Red Hook

She was born in Toledo, Ohio. She was the sister of "Banana George" Blair (1915-2013) a water-skiing pioneer known for barefoot water-skiing and his trademark yellow "banana" wetsuits! She was married March 13, 1942, to Charles Eggert, the Conservationist Film-Maker and Photographer. They lived at Maizefield in Dutchess County, New York, after having rescued it from decay they completed a major restoration project that brought it back to its original splendor. In 1965, the Dutchess County Historical Society wrote: "Maizefield gives one the feeling of warmth and of gracious living, perhaps for the most part, because of the warmth of its present owners (the Eggerts)". During Betty's time at Maizefield, she played an important role in local historic preservation. She was a director of the Dutchess County Landmarks Association and a Curator at Clermont. In 1976, she saw Maizefield added to the National Register of Historic Places. She and Charles had two sons. She died at Pond Drive East, Rhinebeck. 
Contributed by Mark Meredith on 20/06/2020 and last updated on 20/06/2020.