Betty Lee Nay

Betty was born on February 12, 1917, to Foster and Sarah Rix in Groton, SD. She and her older brother, Merrill, lived a country life for her first 18 years. Betty enjoyed going to dances at the Putney Dance Hall, riding her horse to school, and later graduating from Groton High School.

Betty moved to California at the age of 18; attended Fresno State College and then began working at the phone company. Upon meeting a handsome soldier, Betty fell in love and married Francis Matthews. Betty and Francis settled in Fresno after the war and welcomed one son, Gregg, in 1949. Betty endured the loss of Francis to cancer in 1962.

She and Gregg, made a life on their own until Betty met and married Charles Butler, joining him and his two children, Tim and Elaine. Betty was very active in the Fig Garden Women's Club; she and Charles hosted many parties in their backyard for these ladies and their husbands.

Soon, the children left the nest. Gregg married his high school sweetheart, Gwen Flowers, and lived nearby Betty and Charles until Gregg lost his battle with cancer in 1990.

Her second husband, Charles, passed in 1987, and Betty later married Daniel Nay in 1990. Dan and Betty loved to dance and traveled extensively before Dan's passing in 2003.

Betty was preceded in death by her son, Gregg; her husbands, Francis Matthews, Charles Butler, and Daniel Nay; her parents, Foster and Sarah Rix; her brother and sister-in-law, Merrill and Clara Rix; and dear Uncle Bryan and Aunt Pearl Rix.

Betty is survived by her aunt, Ruth Ingham; cousins, Judith Blaine, Curtis Rix, Douglas Rix, Nancy Richards, and Kent Rix; step-children, Timothy Butler and Elaine Ghose; nieces, Valerie Fliehs, Candace Lee, and Barbara Schmidt; and many extended family members.

Visitation will be held at Whitehurst, Sullivan, Burns & Blair Funeral Home on Friday, February 11, 2011 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.

A Memorial Service will be held at Whitehurst, Sullivan, Burns & Blair Funeral Home on Saturday, February 12, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.

Remembrances may be made to Nancy Hinds Hospice or the SPCA.