Betty Roffinella

1929 - 2019

Betty Roffinella
April 9, 1929 - April 24, 2019
Santa Cruz
The family of Betty (Bettina) Marie Roffinella, regretfully announce the recent death of their mother, who passed away in her sleep at the home of her son, Frank Darien in Santa Rosa, April 24, just a few weeks past her 90th birthday.
Betty was born in San Jose, her father John P. Roffinella, was a branch manager for the Bank of Italy on the eastside of San Jose, but passed away prior to her birth. Her mother Marie, was a multi-talented, business woman who served in leadership roles with many local business organizations, as well as head of community relations for the San Jose Water Works, and the first woman to serve on the Santa Clara County Fair Board.
From an early age Betty was an accomplished pianist, who studied and majored in music while attending and graduating from San Jose High School and San Jose State University. She would often travel by train to San Francisco to pick out fabrics to sew her own recital wardrobe. As a teenager and young woman, she entertained veterans back from the Pacific Theatre/World War II at local VA Hospitals, as well as at the Women's Pavilion during the annual Santa Clara County Fair.
In 1949 she met and married Frank Darien, Jr., a San Jose radio personality and began a family that would eventually total three children. Frank produced and hosted a local dance show for teenagers, called Record Hop, that was televised live each weekday night on KNTV Channel 11. She accompanied her young broadcaster-husband when he was invited by ABC to substitute for Dick Clark on American Bandstand from the studios in Philadelphia. In 1959 Frank and Betty purchased property in Monte Sereno, where they built their dream home and raised their family.
The Darien Family life in the community of Los Gatos, enjoyed many aspects of "The Greatest Generation" with idyllic summers spent at the Swim & Racquet Club, countless Little League games, picnic bar-b-ques with San Jose State sorority sister families, skiing at Squaw Valley, supporting Save Lake Tahoe and festive holiday dinners and parties for friends & family. From her home in Monte Sereno, Betty also ran an Italian Cooking school fashioned from her bountiful natural talents, plus time cooking in Italy with chef Marcela Hazan.
Betty was also very active in the Valley Monte League, working tirelessly supporting the Ming Quong Children's Home, and Presidents Rosalie Lincoln, Enide Allison & Florence Barker, beginning in 1967 as their Christmas Tree Elegance Chair for multiple years, creating a foundation that would go on to raise millions of dollars to this day for Family & Children Services.
For the last 15+ years Betty lived in Seascape-Aptos, and later at the Dominican Oaks in Santa Cruz. The family wishes to convey their extreme appreciation and gratitude for the incredible health care support she received from Drs. David Kipps & J. Marcus Lay. Additionally, Deborah Routley of Dominican Oaks and her dedicated staff, the countless caregivers from Visiting Angels of Scotts Valley, and St Joseph Memorial Santa Rosa, Hospice. Their compassionate loving care and attention to Betty made her last year's far more satisfying and comforting.
Betty was preceded in death by her father John Philip Roffinella, Sr., and her mother Marie Wilhelmine Campbell, step father Ben H. Campbell, her brother John Philip Roffinella, Jr., (Nancy) and former husband, Frank Darien, Jr.,
She also leaves behind her three children and their extended families, Frank Darien III (Dawn) of Santa Rosa, grand-children Hayley and Wyatt; Blaire Darien Hammond (Gardiner V) of Morrison, CO and grand-children Gardiner VI and Tyler (Kelsey), great, grand-children Ryland, Arlo and Ellis and Benjamin John Darien (Deborah) of Madison, WI, grand-children Benjamin John, Jr.(BJ), Austin and Jacob.


View the online memorial for Betty Roffinella