Elizabeth Esther Gustafson Rotta

Betty Rotta, 75, died on May 7, 2013 at Harborview Med. Center in Seattle, WA. Betty was born on August 26, 1937 in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China as the only child of missionaries Rev. Reuben and Esther Gustafson. She grew up in the interior of China, experiencing difficult years of war, famine and political revolution, while her family served the Lord by ministering to the Chinese people through TEAM mission’s work that began with her grandparents who went to China as pioneer missionaries in the 1890’s. Beyond China, the family moved to various places in Asia, including Taiwan, where she taught English over the radio and worked with a former head hunting tribe as a teenager. She also lived in Canada. Betty’s education included boarding schools in China and India, as well as correspondence courses and an American military school in Japan. She was fluent in Chinese and English, and also spoke Swedish and Japanese. She told many stories of harrowing adventure and ministry, seeing God work miraculously throughout her life and in the lives of those around her.

Finally settling in Seattle, she attended SPC, where she met Bob Rotta. They married and began their lives together on Sept. 6, 1958, at First Covenant Church in Seattle. Three children were born in Port Angeles, WA. The family later settled in Bellevue, WA. Betty’s life was filled with Christian ministry through: teaching, mentoring, writing, praying, and speaking for many Christian and civic groups. She spread the love of Jesus to all she met, through word and encouragement, as everyone she met was her friend. She and Bob worked tirelessly in ministry together, both formally and informally, their entire lives.

Bob and Betty enjoyed travel and the outdoors, but their faith in God and love of family were most important to them. They were active and vibrant parts of the lives of their children, grandchildren and friends. They were wonderful parents and grandparents to 13 blessed grandchildren. They will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved them.

A memorial service will be held at 2pm on June 1st at Westminster Chapel, 13646 NE 24th St Bellevue, WA. Reception to follow.

Gifts may be given in memory of Bob and Betty Rotta to:

Westminster Chapel Missionary Care Fund

13646 NE 24th Street, Bellevue, WA 98005 (425) 747-1461

(www.westminster.org)

Checks should be Payable to: Westminster Chapel with Rotta Memorial on the memo line

Overseas Radio & Television, Inc. (ORTV)

130S. First Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006, USA 406-388-1544

(www.ortv.com/ortv_ad/GiftstoORTV)

Checks should be payable to: Overseas Radio & Television, Inc., with “Bob & Betty Rotta memorial” on the memo line

The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM)

PO Box 969 Wheaton IL 60187-0969 (800) 343-3144

www.team.org

Checks should be payable to: TEAM, with “Bob & Betty Rotta memorial” on the memo line