Betty Jean Edholm

Betty Edholm, 90, of Ventura died peacefully Sunday, July 27, 2014 at Community Memorial Hospital following a brief illness. She was surrounded by her children and son-in-law at the time of her death.

Born, Betty Baggerly, in Leslie, MI on June 23, 1924, to Effie and James Baggerly, descendants of early settlers in the area, Betty grew up in Leslie, and graduated from Michigan State Normal College (now known as Eastern Michigan University) at Ypsilanti in 1945. Betty taught kindergarten in Michigan for three years, and later moved to California after having been recruited by the Long Beach Public School system. In Long Beach, she met a young engineer, Keith Edholm, who she married in December, 1950.

For the next nine years, Betty and Keith lived across the USA: San Diego, St Albans, VT, Madison, WI, Dayton, OH, and Cape Cod, MA, before returning to California and settling in Ventura in 1960. The couple started their family there with two children, Natalie and Paul. Betty and Keith were active members of United Church of Christ congregations around the country, and were founding members of the Church of the Foothills in Ventura.

After 1970, the family moved several times in support of Keith’s engineering career. Betty made a home for the family in Yokosuka, Japan, Woodland Hills, CA and finally Chelmsford, MA. She was known as a loving wife and mother, and an accomplished homemaker; she was an accomplished cook, seamstress, and needle worker. Betty was also an active volunteer with local women’s groups and at the Chelmsford public library. Keith and Betty traveled extensively both in the US and abroad until Keith’s death in 2005, Betty then returned to Ventura and resided at the Townhouse on Telegraph Rd. She was active in the library and a regular member of Church of the Foothills. She is fondly remembered as a caring friend, and a storyteller with a prodigious memory and a gentle wit.

Betty was preceded in death by a brother, James Baggerly of Redondo Beach. She is survived by her daughter, Natalie and son-in-law Eric Williams; and grandsons, Luke and Jake, all of Ojai; and a son, Paul, of Daytona Beach, FL.

Memorial Service for Betty will take place at Church of the Foothills, 6729 Foothill Road, Ventura on Sunday, August 10, 2014 at 1:00 P.M. with Pastor Kris Bergstrom officiating

Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Rd., Ventura. Condolences may be left at TedMayrFuneralHome.com.