Elizabeth "Betsy" Hoaglin's Obituary
Betsy (Elizabeth) Louise Hoaglin
Born - Birmingham, Alabama November 19, 1945
She grew up in Clearwater, Florida
Betsy met her love of her life, Rusty, at 14 years old. He worked for Betsy’s dad pumping gas at a neighborhood gas station. The love story started that day. Betsy and Rusty spent the next 51 years together and their relationship was strong. They seemed to have a bond nothing could break and always worked through the bumps in the road together. Betsy and Rusty always lived life to the fullest and their motto was “Full speed ahead!”
Betsy went to Radiology school and received her license in 1965. Her first radiology job was at Morton Plant Hospital and then transferred to the doctors office of Dr. George Morris. She worked for Dr. Morris for the next 12 years.
Betsy and Rusty had a daughter, April, in 1968. She was the joy of Betsy and Rusty’s life
Rusty took up scuba diving around 1970 and joined all male dive clubs. Rusty started diving weekends with the boys. Not to be left out, Betsy took up diving to be with Rusty and they bought their first of many boats in 1971. Betsy wanted to join the all men’s dive club, the Clearwater Sea Salts. Not one to take no for an answer, Betsy and four other wives started the all women Sea Bunnies Dive Club in 1972 which is still going strong today. Thank you Betsy.
Betsy decided in April 1, 1980 to start her own medical staffing service. Started on a card table in her bedroom with two employees, the company quickly grew into Rad’s Mobile X-Ray Services in 1982. The mobile company grew into hundreds of staffing technicians and 16 trucks’ on the road.
Betsy split the staffing and the mobile x-ray into two separate companies. She sold the staffing company in 19?? and became the President of the corporation. Rusty and April Hoaglin ran the Mobile X-ray services side of the company.
Betsy’s vision of a mobile x-ray company led her in many directions. For instance, Betsy once x-rayed an elephant and was also the on-site radiologist for the Tampa Bay Bandits football team.
She never stopped helping friends in starting new businesses. Her most recent business was named Advertising Specialties which sold and created promotional products. Betsy never saw herself retired, loved to work, and was bored if she was not moving.
One of Betsy’s many awards was Female Entrepreneur of the Year.
Betsy had many hobbies which included sport fishing, boating, flying, travelling, horseback riding, and spending time with family. She was known for throwing very large parties at their home including her well-known and well-attended annual stone crab party. The annual stone crab party was a reunion of all of her walks in life. It became such a popular party that some of the streets of Island Estates would be blocked from all the traffic in the neighborhood. Betsy and Rusty would have fresh stone crabs flown in from the Bahamas and they were the best!
Anyone that knew Betsy would agree that one of her favorite parts of her life was being a Ya Ya (grandma) to Riley! April, being a single parent most of Riley’s life, gave Poppy (Rusty) and Ya Ya a unique relationship that Riley will cherish forever. If Riley was in it, her Ya Ya was right there beside her! The many dance recitals, modeling, sailing, camps, and even spending the day at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to be on the movie “Dolphin Tale”. Many times they took a cruise where they went diving in the Cayman Islands together. Just a few weeks ago, Ya Ya took Riley and a group of her friends to the Keys. In all of the pictures from that trip, Riley can be seen grinning from ear to ear as she was thrilled to have her Ya Ya be a part of all her friends lives. Many others called Betsy Ya Ya (which is Greek for Grandma) but Riley was and is the apple in her eye!
Betsy was and is still loved by many people. She had many titles such as wife, mother, Ya Ya, sister, aunt, cousin, employer and friend.
The world is certainly a better place because of her life. All that knew her knew she was special and she will be greatly missed! She made her mark in the community, in the business world, and all those who came in contact with her. Her humor and contagious spirit of can-do will be missed by all that knew her!
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