Elizabeth "Betsy" Kahl, 73, one of Towson's most visible and respected neighborhood advocates, died unexpectedly Feb. 6.

Neighbors in Burkleigh Square, where she lived, were digging out Feb. 7 from the weekend blizzard and became concerned they hadn't seen Kahl.

They found her in her home, dead.

Kahl was an important figure in the Towson landscape who earned the respect and admiration of residents, elected representatives and others.

Her life, and the life of Towson, had intertwined for more than two decades.

She had been looking forward to retiring in July from the Baltimore County Department of Social Services, where she worked for 25 years, said friend and co-worker, Maureen Robinson.

"It is a personal loss for everybody in administration who worked with her," Robinson said. "She was a warm and generous friend who always could be counted on."

Some said Kahl's death is an even greater loss for the community.

She was "a strong voice for residential communities, ensuring their voices are heard and their interests protected," said Justin King, who chairs the Tomorrow's Towson committee.

"Her voice and her smile -- and her sense of purpose -- are going to be missed," he said.

Friends said death appeared to have been gentle for Kahl. By all accounts, she was about to nestle into bed for the night when she was claimed for a far longer sleep.

As word of her death spread, those who knew her were shocked.

That was especially true in Burkleigh Square, where Kahl served as president of the community association until 2008.

Burkleigh Square is across York Road from Towson University. When it came time for her to step down as president of the association, Kahl wanted a replacement who, in the face of growing college rentals in the community, would work to maintain Burkleigh Square as a family neighborhood.

"Betsy truly loved Burkleigh Square and the Towson community at large," said Susan Gray, recording secretary for the Greater Towson Council of Community Associations about 10 years ago when Kahl served as president.

Gray recalled one year when Kahl wanted to step down as president of GTCCA, but "each of us on the board refused to accept it, and said that we would pick up the slack if she needed it."

"We rarely needed to. Betsy was a tireless advocate for all of the neighborhoods that make up Towson. She was always very caring and kind, yet firm and pragmatic in her approach."

In Burkleigh Square, "Betsy stood in the breach on behalf of all of us for so many years," said Elizabeth Eck, a neighbor.

On Feb. 7, after Kahl's body had been removed from her house and before her children, Andrew and Christian, arrived from out of state, neighbors didn't want to turn out the lights. They didn't want to see her house dark.

"She gave (neighbors) a sense of security, almost like a parent who would look out for all our best interests," Eck said.

"If it had to do with Towson, Betsy was involved in some fashion," friend Nancy Horst said.

Horst and Kahl had become close after they worked together in the 1990s on the Towson Partnership, an effort to bring all facets of town to the table to share common interests.

At the time of her death, Kahl was still quite busy. Robinson said that at DSS, Kahl worked "with patience and humor" to transform ideas for programs into requests for grants.

As senior warden at Trinity Episcopal Church on Allegheny Avenue, she had been shepherding the congregation in the selection of a new interim rector.

In effect, Kahl had been serving as the church CEO, said parish administrator Jan Schroeder.

"She was our mainstay, the go-to person," she said. "People are stunned."

Kahl also was a member of the non-profit Tomorrow's Towson, formed in 2006 to facilitate the Urban Design Assistance Team's vision for the redevelopment of downtown Towson.

She was a member of the GTCCA's University Relations Committee, which addressed issues generated by college students living in the neighborhoods.

Kahl wasn't above cutting up. Eck said when she and Kahl went on Citizens on Patrol drives, they called each other "Officer Eck" and "Officer Kahl."

They were supposedly on a secret surveillance one night, watching college students in an alley, when they realized they were under a revealing florescent light.

"Next time we do this patrol, we'll have to wear our disguises," Kahl said.

Years ago, Kahl was involved in the unsuccessful effort to bring a transit center to town, and as a PTA member when her children were young, she was responsible for bringing after-school child care to Towson, according to former County Council member Barbara Bachur.

Kahl had worked for Bachur as her aide when Bachur held the office nearly 20 years ago.

Kahl knew how the county worked, said Wayne Skinner, who became the Towson council representative in 1998.

"She may have been very pleasant and very tactful, but she knew how to get things done," Skinner said.

Steve Lafferty, now a 42nd District delegate, said he could always count on Kahl to be clear about what was needed.

"She wasn't flamboyant; she wasn't a headline grabber, but she was always there to make our community better," Laffery said. "That's part of the loss."

"Her approach was not adversarial," said former County Council member Doug Riley. "There was never an unkind word or gesture, but those of us in office had no doubt about what she wanted -- and felt she was probably right and gave it to her."

Current council member Vince Gardina said Kahl provided valuable input on the future of Towson.

"She was a very well-respected person, whom I listened to when she provided advice," he said.

People were drawn to her, said to GTCCA President Ed Kilcullen, who got to know Kahl during the negotiations for the Bozzuto residential project being planned for Burke Avenue.

"She was very sharp," he said. "She could address tough issues strongly, but in a good-natured way without alienating anybody.

"She will be sorely missed," he added.

Kahl is survived by children Christian Kahl and Andrew Kahl; brothers John Zimmerman and David Zimmerman; and grandchildren Kaitlyn, Jordan, Alex, Abigail and Nicholas.

There will be a memorial service in her honor on Saturday, Feb. 20, at 11 a.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, 120 Allegheny Ave., Towson.

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