Obituary of Elizabeth Ann Schlarb

Elizabeth Ann Schlarb of Ithaca, New York, passed away peacefully on August 6, 2022, after a brief illness. Beth was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1966, and lived with her family in Cincinnati, Ohio; Sheboygan, Michigan; Brussels, Belgium; and Chicago, Illinois. After spending several years in Columbus, Ohio, she moved to Ithaca, New York, where she lived for two decades, to the delight of her Ithaca-based family and friends. With these many moves from an early age, Beth developed a remarkable ability to connect with people from any background. Beth showed a wonderful artistic talent and an imaginative mind from an early age, and she infused color and vibrant energy into everything she did, from her paintings and drawings to her gardens to her studies at Tompkins Cortland Community College in Dryden, New York. A graduate of Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati, she was tremendously energetic and accomplished in her work, first in the food and beverage industry and then as a residential and commercial painter. After moving to Ithaca, she shifted her energies to supporting her community, friends, and family in a multitude of ways with her caring compassion, sense of humor, and time. She was a loving big sister and a doting caretaker to her nephew, Max, from the day he was born. Beth’s sparkling, warmhearted spirit lives on in the many lives she touched, including her father, Roger Schlarb; sister, Mary Schlarb, and brother-in-law, Michael Richardson; brother, Chad Schlarb, and partner, Susannah Sheldon; and sister-in-law, Carrie Mcintyre Schlarb. She loved her niece, Emily Schlarb, and nephews, Clayton Schlarb and Max Richardson, to the moon and back, and each of them share her creative spirit, sense of humor, and kindness. She was predeceased by her mother, Alexis O’kon Schlarb, in 2018. Beth had a special gift for befriending people and building a caring community around herself. In particular, she had three soul sisters who were by her side for many years during her time in Ithaca, through thick and thin, including Carol Fry, Dana Cooper, and Molly Ames. Family and friends will celebrate Beth’s life at a gathering on Saturday, August 13, from 11:00-12:30 at the Varna Community Center at 943 Dryden Road (Route 366), Dryden, NY 14853. Beth was an animal lover who adopted a long line of happy cats throughout her life, and her cat, Izzy, has now secured a spot in the home and hearts of close family members. Her family suggests friends and loved ones consider donating to the Tompkins County SPCA or a social service agency of choice in lieu of flowers.