Nutting spent more than four decades proving that preservation was not simply about old buildings — it was about restoring an identity to historically important places.

It was in 1970 when she and longtime friend the late Beverly Fluty co-founded Friends of Wheeling, West Virginia’s first historic preservation organization. At a time when urban renewal often meant demolition, Nutting saw how reviving facades and ornate cornices could help invigorate neighborhoods. Through Friends of Wheeling and the “Operation Look-Up” series in The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register, she helped residents rediscover many Victorian-era architectural details that made Wheeling and its neighborhoods distinctive.

She also worked to establish historic districts, restored and operated dozens of apartments in downtown, and lobbied for the continued preservation of structures such as West Virginia Independence Hall, Towngate Theatre and the Wheeling Suspension Bridge.

Those who worked alongside her noted that Nutting rolled up her sleeves, learned the intricacies of historic tax credits, navigated grant applications and, more often than not, picked up tools and went to work.

Betty Woods “Snookie” Nutting stands with her Distinguished West Virginian Award in 2013.

“There’s a saying somewhere about success being the result of ‘standing on the shoulders of giants,’ and the successes that Friends of Wheeling and other local preservationists continue to have are certainly founded in the early work done by Snookie Nutting,” said current Friends of Wheeling president Jeanne Finstein. “She was a true inspiration, using financial resources to promote historic preservation but more importantly putting in the hard work herself as she rehabilitated so many buildings in Wheeling. The foundations that she laid for Wheeling’s architectural heritage will endure well beyond her passing. She will be missed.”

Nutting’s efforts weren’t limited to Wheeling. She helped form the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia and served as its first president. She also served as the West Virginia adviser to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the most important national association tasked with saving and promoting historic places throughout the country.

Yet Nutting’s legacy extended far beyond her preservation work.

A lifelong athlete, she was an avid tennis player and skier. Friends recalled her competitive spirit while also noting her warmth and understanding of people.

“What I’ll always remember Snookie for most was her time on the tennis courts and winning West Virginia state tennis championships, and that she remained active with tennis and skiing for years,” said G. Randolph Worls, chairman emeritus of the Oglebay Foundation. “She and her tennis friends also were very active in helping establish junior tennis programs here.”

Betty Woods “Snookie” Nutting and her husband G. Ogden Nutting stand together following Mrs. Nutting’s induction into the Wheeling Hall of Fame in 2017.

“Joan and I will deeply miss our dear friend Snookie,” added U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp Jr., speaking on behalf of himself and his wife, Joan Stamp. “We followed Ogden and Snookie’s path into the Wheeling Hall of Fame and remained so close with them over the years. She was such a special person and we will miss her dearly.”

Nutting was inducted into the Wheeling Hall of Fame in 2017, joining her late husband G. Ogden Nutting, making them the first married couple inducted into the Hall of Fame for separate contributions to the city.

She also twice was named a Distinguished West Virginian — first in 2013 by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, a Democrat, and then again in 2023 by Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican. The award is the highest honor a governor can give and is bestowed for “exceptional service, outstanding achievement, and significant contributions to the state.”

Former U.S. Senator and West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin recalled Nutting as someone who “always found the good in others.”

“When I first met Snookie, I remember thinking, wow, what a positive force she is,” Manchin said. “Her goal in everything she got involved with was to find ways to make it right, to help people. She believed that people — myself included — were better than they thought they were. That’s something really unique, I believe.

“I was so privileged to have called Snookie my friend. She had such integrity and character to always do the right thing — no matter the situation. She moved mountains to save so many important buildings in Wheeling and to help others achieve their own dreams — and she did it the right way. She was such a special person.”

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va, recalled Nutting as a “remarkable woman whose kindness, generosity, and unwavering commitment to her community left a lasting impact on so many across West Virginia.”

“She, along with her late husband Ogden Nutting, exhibited the very best of West Virginia. I will always remember her warmth and the genuine care she showed to everyone she encountered,” Capito said.

“Her commitment to historic preservation literally changed the face of Wheeling, helping to save and rehabilitate dozens of Victorian-era buildings in West Virginia’s first capital city. She recognized excellence and beauty in the city’s historical architecture while epitomizing it in the way she lived her life and served her community. Her legacy of service and friendship will continue to live on in the lives she touched and the community she helped strengthen. My prayers are with her family and loved ones during this difficult time.”