Betty Jeanne Peterson

B.J. was preceded in death by her daughter Sharon Jane, by her son Jeffrey Peterson, by her sister Peggy Atchison and by her brother Don Barker.

She is survived by her children, Gary Peterson and wife Sue Ann Peterson of Houston, Texas; Pamela Peterson of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Suzanne Peterson of Phoenix, Arizona; Dr. Caroline Peterson and partner Cindy Schaffer of Dayton, Ohio and Mikel Peterson and Scott Meiers of Las Vegas, Nevada.

She is also survived by six grandchildren, Sterling Czar and wife Devon, of Breckenridge,

Colorado; Jayme Czar Parker and Justin Czar both of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Candace Battafarano and husband Phillip of Phoenix, Arizona; Nicholas Peterson and Andre' Meiers, both of Las Vegas, Nevada.

B. J. was also blessed by seven great grandchildren, Hayden Caldes and Hudson and Mia Grace Parker of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Nico and Sophia Battafarano of Phoenix, Arizona and Braylynn Elizabeth and Dalton Sterling of Breckenridge, Colorado.

B. J. is survived by her cousin, Doris Sullivan and many nieces and nephews whom she beloved and felt it was important to keep connected with her own children.

Betty Jeanne was born May 18th, 1925 in Quanah, Texas. She graduated from Quanah High School at the age of 16 and lost her high school sweetheart, December 7th, 1941 in Pearl Harbor. She attended Texas Women's University in Denton, Texas. During World War II, she frequently visited her father, Sterling Barker, at his construction sites for the U.S. Army in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. On one of these travels, she met Dr. Joseph Peterson of Albuquerque, New Mexico, whom she married and had five children with. Their introduction was at a malt shop and their first date was diverted to the delivery of a baby in rural, N.M. where Betty assisted in the delivery. Soon thereafter, her father Sterling, built the first Osteopathic Hospital in the state of New Mexico, in Belen, which was later moved to Albuquerque.

She and Dr. Peterson ran the hospital, where Betty served in Radiology and as a Surgical Assistant. Betty was President of the Doctor's Wives Association for several years, raising revenue to develop scholarships for medical students and supporting young physicians going into practice. One to two times a year she and Joe would fly their private plane into Mexico to drop off medical supplies and deliver care to the underserved. This is where Betty took a love for flying and became the first Woman to solo an airplane in the state of New Mexico.

In 1954, she and Joe divorced. She then met Don Lesmen Chavez, and had two children. Betty then worked with The Blair X-Ray Company and retired in 1971 to devote her time to raising her two youngest children. She spent the next 20 years in Albuquerque raising her two girls, taking them to cross country and track meets around the region. After her two daughters were raised, she turn the focus to her grandchildren. She ultimately moved to Las Vegas, Nevada to be closer to her youngest grandchildren.

Because B. J. had the "gift of gab", she knew no strangers. She was the "air traffic controller"

of stories and current affairs in the family. Most of all, she befriended all she met, loved all she met and gave advice to all she met, with the intent to make their life experience better.