Betty Jane Bouris

Betty Jane Bouris, beloved wife, mother, grandma, GG (great-grandma), cousin, and friend, was welcomed into heaven on November 4, 2025.

Born on October 9, 1931, in Tempe, Arizona, Betty spent much of her childhood in Long Beach before moving to Perris in high school. There she met her sweetheart, Herk Bouris, who would be her loving husband for 54 years. Together, they moved to Menifee and built a farming business while raising their children, Mike and Mary.

Throughout her life, Betty's sharp mind, talent with numbers, and ability to negotiate served her well in many roles, including as a bookkeeper for the farm and other local businesses and as the treasurer and secretary for many committees and nonprofits. Betty was especially dedicated to preserving the history of her family and stories of Menifee Valley through co-authoring a pictorial history book of the area, sharing stories with local elementary school children, and serving as a docent for the Menifee History Museum.

Betty is preceded in death by her husband Herk and her son Mike, and she is survived by her second husband, Ronald Wilkerson, her daughter Mary Carey, daughter-in-law Elese Bouris, and her 4 granddaughters–Coleen Montgomery, Lynette Montgomery, Gwen Pool, and Megan Carey. Her great-grandchildren, Dylan, Sydney, Max, Micah, Zoe, Evelyn, and Bennett, brought immense joy to her later years.

Betty will be profoundly missed, yet her positivity will continue to shine brightly in the hearts of the many people she loved.

A celebration of her life will be held at Canyon Lake Community Church on Friday, November 21 at 11 am with lunch to follow at Bouris Ranch. You can rsvp to the lunch at tinyurl.com/bettybouris.

In Lieu of flowers, please donate to the Menifee Valley Historical Association.