Betty Masley passed away on September 2nd, 2020. Born in Indianapolis, she grew up on a farm outside Plainfield, Indiana. She attended Indiana University as a music major and worked various administrative jobs, most proudly for Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. An inveterate organizer, always making plans and to-do lists, she found a way to make any task more efficient.
She volunteered her time with the Girl Scouts, first as cookie chairman (filling our front porch to the rafters with crates of cookies) and later as troop leader, sharing the joy of camping with “her girls”. She instilled a love of learning in her children, making countless trips to the library two blocks away, with two children in hand and two riding in the little red wagon she’d pull behind her. She worked hard to be sure her kids went to college. She was a staunch friend and ally, one you wanted in your corner in the tough times.
She was an avid Indianapolis Colts fan and attended games with her husband, Loren. She liked to travel and see new places. She and Loren traveled to Alaska twice, to Scotland for their 50th wedding anniversary, and all across the US. She loved to share her knowledge of birds and plants and constellations. She had an immense flower garden surrounding her house. She always had a pet -- Smokey Joe and Gretchen the cats, Teddy and Skampy and Happy the dogs, a horse named Star, a goat named Hector.
She and Loren met when they were teenagers at a Baptist summer camp. They dated in college, and married in 1953. He brought sunshine to her life. The family believes that Betty died from a broken heart, nearly 2 months to the day after Loren’s passing.
She had a deep faith in God, was a member of North Bay Community Church in Palm Harbor, Florida. Previously a member of Epworth United Methodist Church, Castleton United Methodist Church and First Baptist Church in Indianapolis.
She is the daughter of Luther and Charlotte Spencer, sister of Ray and David, sister-in-law to Fran and Luann, mother of Beth, Lowell, Linda and Ruth, mother-in-law to Zita and Daryl, grandmother to Jennifer, to Christopher and his wife Rose, to Nicholas and his finance Jackie, and great grandmother to baby coming in October. Lifelong spiritual sister to her friend Carmen who “in another dimension” is Betty’s same age, living on adjacent farms.
Betty was a generous woman, she deeply cared about helping people in need and believed all people deserve dignity. “Never take a man’s pride. It could be the last thing he owns.” May she rest in peace, in happiness, with her husband.
A Memorial Service will be held at a later date.
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