Bette Marsh filled a niche needed in the Carolinas. Another of the great surfing “Moms”, as a founding Director of the ESA, Bette was known as the “Matriarch of Eastern Surfing”. Starting with her own brood, Mike, Mickey and Pat, she became everybody’s “Mom” from the youngest menehune to the old, grizzled legends. She served as a District Director from 1968 until 1979, coached the pre-curser to the ESA All Star team and was a fixture at the Easterns for decades. She was universally recognized for her warm and generous heart, her open mind and her tireless efforts on behalf of surfers, whether it was about beach access, education or just being there for the kids. In her family’s honor in 1980 the ESA established the Marsh Scholarship Fund which has become the largest scholarship fund in the surfing world. Bette’s contributions to Eastern Surfing were recognized when she was selected as the first winner of the “Doc” award in 1991, just prior to her tragic passing.
