Elizabeth Thaddeus Wilcox

Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Wes, and parents, Waymond and Emily Pickett. She will be missed by her six children, Dan (Beth), Marilyn (Ron), Laura (Sean), Linda, Katie (John), and David (Laura), along with 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, her sister and brother-in-law, Thea and Art Wendorf, her niece Peggy, and nephews Kevin and Chip.

Betty was born September 14, 1930, in Atlanta, Georgia, the oldest of 2 children. Her family moved to Burbank, CA when Betty was in elementary school. She grew up in Burbank and graduated from Burbank High School where she enjoyed singing and acting in school musicals. According to her younger sister, Thea, Betty “had my back” during these years in Burbank. Thea and Betty remained the best of friends for the rest of Betty’s life.

Betty met Oliver Wesley Wilcox at Magnolia Park Methodist Church in Burbank. Elizabeth and Wes married on Jan. 27, 1950, at Magnolia Methodist. Later that year, Betty moved to Morro Bay as Wes accepted a teaching job at Morro Bay Elementary School. They lived in Morro Bay for a little more than a year. They would return to the Central Coast throughout their lives and moved back to the Central Coast and Los Osos in 1997 where she lived near Dave and his family until 2023 when she moved to a Board and Care in Northridge, CA, to be nearer to her daughters, Marilyn, Linda, and Katie.

Betty went back to school and worked as a Licensed Vocational Nurse in the mid-1970s, but she devoted her adult years to her marriage and family. Betty and Wes welcomed six children in just 10 years, so Betty had her hands full. Their home for 33 years in Sylmar, CA. was a place for children and grandchildren to return to and enjoy for many years. Betty loved holidays. For years, Betty sewed Easter dresses for her four daughters. At Christmas the home was always festively decorated, the food scrumptious, and the music joyful. Betty, a child of the Depression, was sentimental and would not let go of Christmas ornaments, decorations, or pretty much anything else family-oriented no matter how torn and tattered.

Understandingly, Betty enjoyed getting out of the house. Packing the family into the Aljo trailer, affectionately named the Wilcox 8, and camping at Carpinteria Beach was a highlight for many summers. For President’s Day weekends in February, the Wilcox 8 made their way to Pismo Beach for clamming and Betty’s delicious clam chowder. Betty and Wes’s love for RV touring lasted into their empty nest years. Traveling the country in their 5th wheeler were some of Betty’s happiest years. She liked to share stories of “eating of the area” and visiting sights off the beaten path. The weather was no obstacle for these intrepid tourists. They traveled in all conditions including a record-cold winter in Michigan for Christmas, with Dan and Beth’s family. and their newborn, Emily.

Betty dealt with obstacles over her long life which took a toll on her well-being. In the last decade of her life, her mobility was restricted due to a variety of medical issues. This was hard for Betty as she became more and more reliant on family members, especially her daughter, Laura, and son-in-law, Sean who lived with and cared for her as her health declined. Still, Betty persisted throughout the hardships. Her mind remained sharp, was an excellent Jeopardy player, and she continued to find joy in ongoing family gatherings and living long enough to welcome her great-grandchildren.

The Wilcox family extends its sincere gratitude to Ione Keas and Barbie Burns in Los Osos, and to Clara and Alvin at Evening Grace in Northridge.