Betty Jean Tevis ECKDAHL

ECKDAHL Betty Jean Tevis, 84, died Feb 22, 2010 in Lexington, KY. The widow of Andrew Eckdahl, Mrs. Eckdahl was a native of San Francisco whose family returned to Kentucky in 1939. Until retirement in 1987 she was a writer for the University of Kentucky in the public relations office. Before that she held similar posts at Berea College and EKU. Mrs. Eckdahl graduated from Henry Clay High School where she was active on the speech team and the student newspaper. She earned an AB in Journalism degree from UK in 1946 and became the first local news editor for Radio Station WLAP in Lexington. Other journalism work took her to WLW in Cincinnati, and then to WINS and WNEW in New York City. She also wrote for Movie Life magazine. Mrs. Eckdahl is survived by a son, Henry Stone Balke of Edison, NJ, a daughter, Liz Skelton of Versailles, KY, a grandson, Wade Hampton, of Lexington, and a great-granddaughter, Isobel Hampton of Lexington. Her brother, novelist Walter Tevis, died in 1984. Her father, Walter Stone Tevis, was a native of Madison County, KY and descendent of a pioneer family there. A memorial service will be held at 1:30pm Fri at Milward-Southland. Friends may call from 5-7pm Thu. www.milwardfuneral.com