Bettie Marguerite Middleton
Bettie Marguerite Middleton passed away In Moscow, Idaho on December 1, 2012 at the age of 95.
She was born Bettie Marguerite McKee on November 24, 1917 in Dayton, Ohio to Charles Clinton McKee and Jessie Gorrell McKee. In 1922 the family drove and camped across country to California where they settled in Los Angeles. Bettie and her sister Ruth attended schools in Highland Park, and then Eagle Rock High School. Bettie then went to Occidental College in Los Angeles, majoring in English, where she met Walter B. Middleton at a college dance in 1937. Bettie graduated from Occidental in 1939 and taught school in Coachella, CA for a year, after which she and Walt were married June 15, 1940 in Los Angeles. They lived in several towns in southern California before settling in Pasadena, CA in 1946. Their daughter Sharon was born in December 1944, and she was joined by son Walter Duane in 1948.
Bettie was a homemaker for several years, before returning to teaching in 1953. She taught mostly 5th grade for 20 years, then spent the last part of her career as a math resource specialist in the Pasadena School District offices. She was President of the Pasadena Teachers Association for several years, and also was an officer in the California Teacher's Association. She retired in June1977.
After retirement, she and her husband Walt traveled a lot, both camping all over the U.S. with their Airstream trailer, and also taking cruises around South America, including up the Amazon, did safaris in Kenya, visited much of Europe and Scandinavia, and finally did a big cruise to Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia. No matter where they traveled, Bettie always had her "hand work" along, as she loved to knit and crochet and supplied her grandchildren and later her great-grandchildren with wardrobes of sweaters. She was also well known for the beautiful embroidered afghans she made.
Through most of her life Bettie had played bridge, and in retirement she played serious duplicate bridge, often traveling to tournaments. She was a regular at the Arcadia Bridge Center, and made many friends there over the years.
In 2008 she moved to Santa Clara and lived near her granddaughter and three of her great-grandchildren. Then in 2010 she moved to Moscow, Idaho to be near her daughter Sharon and son-in-law Mike Scott. She was a resident at Good Samaritan Moscow Village at the time of her death.
Her husband Walter passed away in 1997, and her son Walter Duane predeceased her in March 2012. She is survived by her sister Ruth Simmons, daughter Sharon Scott and son-in-law Mike Scott, grandchildren Heather (Matt) Williamson, and Kevin (Jenn) Scott, and 6 beautiful great-grandchildren : Emma, Roland and Tessa Williamson, and Gabriel, Jocelyne and Gwendolyn Scott. Bettie was a proud grandma and great-grandma (known as Gigi to the greats), and loved to play games and read stories and be involved in their lives, and tried to always have a cookie in the refrigerator for them. She will be greatly missed by the whole family.
A family memorial will be held later in the month. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Good Samaritan Moscow Village, 640 N. Eisenhower, Moscow, ID 83843.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Short's Funeral Chapel and on-line condolences may be made at www.shortsfuneralchapel.net.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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Middleton family the hearer of prayer can be a refuge in times of distress. ( Psalm 68:2) Please accept my condolences.
Cg
December 5, 2012
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