Betty Virginia Long

Betty Virginia (Woodall) Long, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother made her journey to heaven on February 28, 2020 in Phoenix Arizona at the age of 86. To her family she was Mom, ‘Bet’ and Nonnie.

A native Arizonan, Betty was born on January 30, 1934 in Douglas, Arizona to Basil and Josephine Woodall, the eldest of 3 children. Betty graduated from Douglas High School and went on to become a beautician before meeting her husband in Bisbee, Arizona while working for Phelps Dodge. They married March 28, 1954 and had 3 children - two sons and a daughter. Together, they relocated 11 times throughout the state of Arizona for her husband’s job – largely the southern part with most time spent in Nogales, Scottsdale, Yuma and Flagstaff before returning to Phoenix in 1990. Betty was a homemaker while her children were young and later worked for the Federal Government performing administrative duties. She found her true passion in caring for and teaching two-year-olds while working in daycare and preschool 16 years before retiring. She loved to go in extra early to get the day prepared. To the little ones she was simply Miss Betty. It was not unusual to be out shopping and have a youngster run towards her, hug her legs and cry out Miss Betty. She adored flowers and was an avid Elvis fan having visited Graceland three times - so proud to show off her special ‘Elvis Room’. She was always up for a casino night, enchilada, margarita and Payday candy bar and took pleasure in the simple things…watching the mama quail escort her babies in and out of the front yard, pausing to talk to the parents of a young toddler she would see while out or giving a compliment to someone and then teasingly add with a smile…’now, give me a quarter’. However, her greatest joy was being with and around her family. In her final weeks, she was blessed to be surrounded by family and friends – a testament to how much she was loved by all. She is dearly missed and will be forever in our hearts!

Betty is survived by her husband of 65 years, Burl Dean Long, her sons Barry (Joanie) Long and Brian (Rita) Long; daughter Becky (Bret) Godfrey; and sister Janie (Ed) Pierson. She was blessed with six grandchildren: Jeremy, Jared, Jason, Taylor (Patrick), Stephen and Madelyn and 3 great-grandchildren: Madison, Parker and Basil as well as several beloved nieces, nephews, and other family. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Donald Woodall of Douglas, Arizona and her beloved dog, Mitzi.

A memorial service will take place at Lakeshore Mortuary at 1815 S. Dobson Rd., Mesa, AZ on Monday, March 9, 2020. Visitation for family and friends will commence at 10:00am and service at 11:00am with burial and ‘Celebration of Life’ reception to follow at Green Acres Mortuary and Cemetery, 401 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale, AZ. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Betty’s life. Flowers and condolences may be sent to Lakeshore Mortuary. Pastor John Hopson will officiate the ceremony. In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation may be made to Hospice of the Valley.