Betty L. Collier

Dear sweet Betty was born in Shawnee, OK. Her family soon moved to Farmereville, CA when she was very small. She grew up there with her 2 brothers and 4 sisters. Betty was the oldest sister of the family. Betty liked to tell her children about how frugel those times were, if Betty and her brothers or sisters wanted a little pocket change they were welcome take a burlap sack and go out to the fields and pick a bag full of cotten, then they would get paid buy the weight of the bag and that is how they got their spending money. Betty would tell her children how she got 50 cents for school lunch money everyday and how she would go to the diner near school and buy a hamburger and a slice of lemon meringue pie every day.Betty's family later moved to Willowbrook, CA and then to Bell Gardens. It was in Bell Gardens where she later met the love of her life, Mick at a social gathering who she later married. Betty was a devoted mother, taking part in many activities with her kids. She was a volunteer at the P.T.A. of Roger Casier Elementary School as well as Jr. and Senior High Schools in Downey. Betty was a Girl Scout leader, softball coach, team mom in the Downey Junior Athletic Association, all the kids wanted to ride with Betty in her big blue station wagon. Betty made many friends over approximately 50 years bowling in Downey, a big highlight was going to National Bowling Tournaments with her team, going across the country where the team would take many side trips and tours. The team camaraderie was more important than winning money in the tournaments. They also enjoyed many Bunco and Agravation games as well as many pot luck dinners and gift exchanges at Christmas time. Betty was a very proud Grandmother to her Granddaughter Lyndsey whenever she babysat Lyndsey she made sure Lyndsey was dressed in a completely color coordinated outfit from the blouse to the pastel colored Oshkosh overalls to the frilly socks to the tiny little shoes and that she had her hair combed with every hair in its place. This pride continued all the way through college graduation. Betty was well traveled, going to Hawaii 5 times, 2 trips to Alaska, going as far North as the Artic Circle. Betty also visited many cities in Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Belize, Purerto Rico, Jamaica, Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Canada and most of the U.S. states. Betty went on 8 cruises, her last was a 2 week cruise in 2010 from Old Quebec City, Canada down to Miami, FL with many stops and tours in between, she was a fun person to travel with. Betty was a wonderful cook and baker, at Christmas time she would bake 3 or more types of bread and 3 or more types of cookies and mail them to her family and friends. Betty lived in the same Downey home 53 years where she went up to the "Spirit in the Sky" surrounded by her family.

********** Published: Jan. 16, 2014 - Volume 12 - Issue 40