BETTYE JEAN SOLLECITO

1929 - 2023

Bettye Sollecito, 93, passed away on August 28, 2023, in her Monterey home surrounded by her loving family. She was born on November 20, 1929, to Othel and Charlotte Smith in Springfield, MO. She lived in Missouri until she was 22-years-old, where she enjoyed such activities as demolition car racing and attending a screen test for Paramount Studios. Paramount offered to fly her to Hollywood, however, her mother did not want her involved in the unsavory "Hollywood lifestyle."In 1951, Bettye relocated to Monterey, CA with her mother. In 1952, she met the love of her life, Joe, at the Blue Ox Restaurant in Monterey. Following a dinner in which he inviting himself to dine with her, her car wouldn't start and he offered her a ride home. A whirlwind romance led to an elopement to Lake Tahoe. Once there, she decided to wait to get married and asked to go home. A fortuitous snowstorm closed the highways back to Monterey and, knowing the scandal that would ensue if she spent the night with Joe without being married, she tied the knot (later renewing their vows at San Carlos Church). She was happily married to Joe for 53 years, until his passing in 2006. Bettye spent 25 years as the office manager for Walter Colton Junior High School in Monterey, was very involved in the Italian Catholic Federation, Festa Italia, San Carlos Church, CHOMP volunteer, Monterey Bay Aquarium supporter, and many other local organizations. She acted at the First Theater of Monterey, and was an avid garage sale customer. In 1960, she and several other women started the "sewing club." They never sewed a stitch. It was simply a way for the ladies to get out of the house, have coffee, cake, and gossip together, with their husbands none the wiser. In fact, Joe would often give her socks to mend…which never returned. The ladies got together for the next 50 years (yes, the husbands caught on eventually). In addition to the sewing club, she held many poker parties at her house and loved traveling to Tahoe, Reno and Chukchansi casinos.Bettye had a wonderful life surrounded by a large family and a larger group of friends. One of her last wishes was that nobody should mourn her loss, they should instead celebrate her life. Bettye was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, Bill, Bob and Herb, her husband Joe, and her son Stephen. She is survived by her sons Anthony (Dawn) and Carmelo, her grandchildren Kimberlee, Kristin, Natalie and Nicole, her great-grandchildren Lauren, Ava, and Cash. Services will be held on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at 10:00 AM at San Carlos Cathedral.