It is with great sadness that I salute the passing of one of the truly great ladies of Brooklyn, the much loved Bette Stoltz. Bette worked for her community with every fiber of her being. I can't imagine what Carroll Gardens, the Gowanus, or Smith Street would be today without Bette...she was the engine for everything that has happened and is happening in the area! I think Smith Street stands as a monument to her ferocious generosity and vision.

We all owe her so much, and we will never, ever forget her.