Elizabeth Hazel Troy, the only child of parents who were themselves only children, passed away from cancer September 22, 2026, at age 72, leaving a legacy of love among the close friends she considered family.
Beth was born January 20, 1954, in Denville, New Jersey, to Catherine and Donald Troy. She was raised by her mother and beloved grandfather, Charles G. Colpe. As a young woman, Beth was a member of the National Honor Society in high school and finished 16th in the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in 1968. She was a voracious reader her entire life.
Beth attended Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, earning undergraduate degrees in social relations and journalism in just three years. After graduation, she joined The Morning Call in Allentown, where she worked for 17 years as a reporter, copy editor and page designer. During that time, Beth was married for 10 years.
Though not religious, Beth was a deeply spiritual person who felt a special connection to the Southwest, especially Sedona, Arizona. Her love of words and the craft of journalism eventually led her to California, where she took a position on the Los Angeles Times metro copy desk in 1993. Beth rose to become a metro copy desk chief and was named the newspaper's Copy Editor of the Year in 2015.
Beth retired January 1, 2016, and poured herself into a wide range of interests. A lover of nature and the outdoors, she was a dedicated fitness enthusiast who enjoyed both the gym and the trail. She belonged to three local botanical gardens, where she nurtured her passion for photography. She regularly created calendars and cards for friends featuring photographs she had taken at the Los Angeles County Arboretum.
In retirement, Beth took up landscape painting, and though self-deprecating about her talent, her work was widely admired. Her own garden, at the home she lived in for 33 years, reflected her enduring love of the outdoors and served as a sanctuary for the many cats she cared for and raised.
Beth was passionate about the culinary arts and loved nothing more than cooking a fine meal and sharing a bottle of wine with friends on her patio.
She is survived by her partner of 17 years, Kenneth Broder, her family of friends and Polly, her constant cat companion at the end. Beth was devoted to her friends and causes, supporting a wide range of charities and nonprofits.
The fierce Capricorn fought for decency in the world and did not go gentle into any night.
In lieu of flowers, Beth asked that those wishing to honor her memory donate to a charity of their choice.