Betty Jean Thiebaud

Betty Jean Thiebaud, wife of internationally acclaimed painter and teacher Wayne Thiebaud, passed away on Saturday, December 12 at 1:30 P.M. Her mind and body ceased in tandem as the final results of several years encumbered by Alzheimer's disease. She was born on August 2, 1929 in Shell Knob, Missouri to Silas Jackson Carr and Marjorie Mary Westpheling. She attended West Port High School in Kansas City, Missouri. One of seven children, she is survived by sisters Pauline Duncan (Kansas), Christine Bagnall (Arizona), and brother Al Cassity (Missouri). In the late 1940's she moved to Long Beach, CA and worked in the advertising department of the Long Beach Press Telegram. She also entered several beauty pageants at that time and was Miss Long Beach. After moving to Sacramento, she worked at the Sacramento Bee in the 1950's along with her lifelong friend, Lucille Crespo. In 1953 she married Lester Eugene Bult and had two sons, Mark Robert Bult (1954 - 2013) and Matthew L. Bult. In 1959 she married Wayne Thiebaud and had one son, Paul LeBaron Thiebaud (1960 - 2010). She taught elementary school in Lodi, CA in the late '60's. She was also a filmmaker and taught cinematography (16mm) at Sacramento State University in the mid 1970's. As a filmmaker she produced eleven independent films, including documentary films on art and artists, such as "Elaine DeKooning Paints A Portrait", "Art Dealer Allan Stone", as well as one on bay area painter Nathan Oliviera. She lectured and exhibited her films at several American universities, film festivals, as well as on The BBC. From the mid 1960's to the mid 1980's, she was the business manager to her husband Wayne (A job now handled by her son, Matt). She handled tax preparations, record keeping, bill paying, scheduling, travel arrangements, and meetings with museum directors, collectors and patrons. She also photographically documented lectures, openings and artwork. During her lifetime she also established her own collection of artwork, vintage clothing, antique purses and enough shoes to make Imelda Marcos look like Gandhi! Her education included receiving an A.A. degree from Sacramento City College, and a B.A. and M.A. from Sacramento State University. She also attended the University of California, Davis where she studied under painters Robert Kulicke and Elaine DeKooning. She had several personal activities that gave her great joy throughout her life. She was an accomplished gourmet cook who hosted many fabulous and lively dinner parties throughout many decades. Tennis was her main love which she played in full attack mode. She was a left handed player who loved to attack the net and put away her volleys. She had many successful tournaments and was a nationally ranked player with her doubles partner, Barbara Bachmann. She was also a creative seamstress and would alter dresses to make her own design. She wore long, white tennis dresses of her own making. Her shopping expertise is well documented as seen by the success of Goodwill Industries and Marshall's! She loved to garden and always had the best tomatoes and basil. Along with her family dog, Al (and his fertilizing capabilities and her green thumb), they produced some of the most spectacular and colorful roses around. She had high standards for her children and friends, demanding from them friendships that would last a lifetime. She was always there to console someone and even play matchmaker. She instilled lifelong qualities in her children and grandkids, that one should be accountable for their time and to have manners and proper etiquette. She also looked forward to evening chardonnay and was even known to carry several small bottles of Jose Cuervo tequila in her purse in case of any boring social event. One of the many symptoms of Alzheimer's disease is the need to reel in your possessions and keep them close or even to hide them. Betty Jean would have surely been the one to choose to hide Easter eggs. Found tucked away behind an end table in her living room, only a few months ago, were two bottles of chardonnay, a tambourine and a colorful necklace. I'm sure in her mind these were the makings of a secret party! Bless her heart. Betty Jean will be sorely missed by her loving husband, Wayne, her son Matt, daughters-in-law Maria Bult and Karen Thiebaud and step daughters-in-law Twinka Thiebaud and Mallary Thiebaud, both of Portland, Oregon. Also greatly affected by her passing are her grandkids, Alex Bult, Nick Bult, Colette Thiebaud and Danny Thiebaud. The Bult/Thiebaud family would like to thank our loving and compassionate caregivers from Right At Home - Sacramento and Fiji Angel Care. They treated Betty Jean with respect and treated her as family. A special thank you to Fane, Mavis, Sia, Valentina, Cheryl, Latoya, Heidi, Elizabeth, Shelly and Jessica. A special thanks to her daughter in-law, Maria Bult, whose tireless care and compassion to Betty Jean borders on sainthood. Services will be private.