Dr. Elizabeth (Beth) C. Pomeroy

June 13, 1955 ~ May 27, 2022
Born in:
Greenwich, CT
Resided in:
Austin, TX
Elizabeth C. (Beth) Pomeroy, PhD, LCSW, ACSW, passed away on Friday, May 27, 2022, in Austin, TX.
Dr. Pomeroy was born to William and Cornelia Pomeroy on June 13, 1955 in Greenwich, CT. Her family relocated to Asheville, NC, when she was a child. She received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her PhD in Social Work from the University of Texas, Austin.
For more than 30 years, Dr. Pomeroy worked as a clinical social worker with children, adolescents, adults and families. She received the Outstanding Teaching Award in 2014 from the University of Texas Board of Regents and was the Co-Director of the Institute for Grief, Loss and Family Survival at the University of Texas School of Social Work, where she held the Bert Krueger Smith Professorship in Mental Health and Aging. For 20 years, Dr. Pomeroy taught clinical assessment and diagnosis to graduate and social work students and did significant research in the areas of interventions related to grief and loss, often seeking out books and video resources for her students to apply in their professional and personal lives. As well as publishing numerous books on social work, Dr. Pomeroy served as the Editor in Chief of Social Work: The Journal of the National Association of Social Work.
Beth was a lifetime advocate of physical fitness, often swimming 50 laps daily. She was devoted to her family and her colleagues and students often sought her expertise and advice, relying on her vast experience and wisdom.
Dr. Pomeroy is survived by her sisters, Nancy Togar (Tunc) of Asheville and Peggy Higginbotham of Houston, TX; brother, Bill Pomeroy (Cindy) of Asheville, as well as many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother-in-law, Ed Higginbotham and her precious dogs, Joy and Lucy.
A Funeral Service for Dr. Pomeroy will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, June 12, 2022 at All Souls Episcopal Church in Asheville with burial to follow at Calvary Churchyard in Fletcher.
Groce Funeral Home’s Lake Julian team is assisting the family.
Services
Funeral Service: June 12, 2022 2:00 pm
All Souls Episcopal Church
9 Swan Street
Asheville, NC 28803
828-274-2681
Funeral Home Assisting The Family:
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian
72 Long Shoals Road
Arden, NC 28704
(828)687-3530
http://www.grocefuneralhome.com
Dr. Beth Pomeroy was a close colleague at The University of Texas at Austin where she also graduated with her PhD. I was blessed to be on her dissertation committee and work with her closely in the Clinical concentration of our MSSW program and in the PhD program. She made so many contributions and was a joy to have as a colleague. I will miss Beth greatly.
We miss Beth’s beautiful smile and spirit at our School.
Sending peace to all who love her.
Tanya Voss
Steve Hicks School of Social Work
My deepest sympathy
I am so sorry to hear of Beth’s passing. We worked out at the same gym a few years back, and we had a lot of wonderful conversations. She was a very special, smart, accomplished woman.
We are planning a memorial service for her at Weed Corley Parkcrest on Sept 10 at 1 pm
Stephen J. Brannen
I just learned of the passing of Dr. Pomeroy. Beth and I graduated from the doctoral program at the University of Texas, Austin, in 1994. She was a truly wonderful person, great researcher, and inspiration to her students in the classroom. She will be sorely missed.