Betty J. Winkelman Williamson

Betty Jean Winkelman Williamson
December 6 1927 - March 4, 2011

Betty J. (Cleek) Winkelman Williamson left her family and friends Friday, March 4, 2011 to join her beloved husband, Bob, and dance with him in heaven.
She was born December 6, 1927 in La Junta, Colorado to Walter L. and Goola M. (Talley) Cleek. the family moved to Olympia, in 1929 where Betty grew up attending Washington Junior High and graduating from Olympia High School in 1946. She also attended Dietz Business College and South Puget Sound Community College (As we now know it).
While in junior high school she was a drum majorette and also played the bass fiddle in orchestra all through junior and high school. She practically lived on roller skates and performed several floorshows with her skating partner.
Betty was baptized at First Christian Church. Later she became a confirmed Lutheran and was a charter member of Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd where she taught Sunday school and prepared the altar for Sunday services.
Betty held secretarial positions with several state agencies. She was Office Manager for Drake Construction Company, IBM, and then retired from the WA Education Association.
Betty married Dick Winkelman in 1948. They had three sons, Richard "Wink", Max, and Brian. They divorced in 1963.
Betty was a Girl Scout Leader in Tumwater School District and was later elected President of the Girl Scout Leaders of Thurston County. In 1967 Betty married Robert (Bob) Williamson after a five-year courtship. They loved to travel; both by motor home to the south in the winter and by boating north in the summer. In 1967 Bob and Betty cruised to Alaska in a 19' cabin cruiser Bob built. Twice they circumnavigated Vancouver Island in the same boat before graduating to larger vessels.
They loved to travel, including to Europe and Korea. While Betty was working for Governor Dixie Lee Ray, she appointed her as Chairman of the First Friendship Force on their first trip to Korea. Betty was also the Secretary/Treasurer of the Steamboat Island Water Corp for 35 years before retiring in 2007.
Betty spent many years volunteering at Olympics West Retirement Inn, Mother Joseph Care Center, and Garden Courte Memory Care Center. She was a life member of the Olympia Outboard Club and Olympia Yacht Club, VFW 218 Auxiliary, was a docent at the Governor's Mansion for over 30 years and belonged to Gamma Epsilon Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi.
In 1981 Betty and Bob built a house in Westport with a spectacular view of the ocean. They planned on moving there permanently but Bob's Alzheimers progressed and it was not feasible to be so far away from doctors and family. Betty remained, spending most of her time at their Westport home after Bob's passing in 2006, and retained many friendships they developed over the years.
Betty's parents, her sisters Elizabeth Schirmer (Ken) and Virginia Cooper (Paul), her son, Max A. Winkelman, the kids' father, Dick Winkelman and her beloved husband Robert Williamson, all preceded her in death. She is survived by son, Richard "Wink" Winkelman (Sonja); daughter-in-law Cheryl, of Olympia; son, Brian Winkelman (Becky) of Phoenix; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
A memorial celebration of life with reception will be held on Saturday, March 19 at 12:00 p.m. at Woodlawn Funeral Home, Lacey.