Betty Jean Stallings

Jean was born January 16, 1935, in Champaign, Illinois to Harris Dean Stallings and Harriet Louise (Pillsbury) Stallings. She grew up in North and South Dakota and moved to Pacific Grove in 1984.

She graduated from Stanford in 1957, majoring in Social Sciences. Her primary career was in the United States Army, where she served from 1963 to 1984, including a tour in Vietnam, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Her military awards were numerous and included the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters. She was a member of many military organizations, including WAC-AWU and VWV, serving as Parliamentarian for both, and was a founding member of WIMSA, Women in Military Service for America.

An active volunteer after her retirement, she served in leadership roles in several organizations: the Monterey Peninsula Community Thrift Shop, the Professional Women’s Network, the National Association of Parliamentarians (Pi Gamma and Mu Alpha Units), International Training in Communication (Spirit of Speech Club, Council 2, and Founder’s Region), the YWCA of Monterey County, the Monarch Auxiliary of the Pacific Grove Convalescent Hospital, and the Cypress Garden Guild.

She was also very active with the First United Methodist Church of Pacific Grove, including the Church Mouse Thrift Shop, the PG Methodist Foundation, United Methodist Women, various committees and as a delegate to the Annual Conference. She co-chaired Planned Parenthood’s annual campaign for several years. She prepared newsletters for several of these organizations. She received numerous awards for her volunteer work, including being named one of Monterey County’s Outstanding Women in 1999; she was the Professional Women’s Network Woman of the Year in 2002, and was recognized as Veteran of the Year of Monterey Bay, California in 2021.

The world is better because she was in it and she will be profoundly missed. Her friends all over the world will remember her capable leadership and generous heart.

She is survived by her nephew Daniel Stallings (Lynne) of Muncie, Indiana, her niece Susan Stallings of Greensboro, North Carolina, and her sister-in-law Cathy Stallings of Cocoa, Florida. The family wishes to extend special thanks to the kind and caring staff of Canterbury Woods and the Central Coast VNA and Hospice.

Jean much preferred action to display, and has requested that in lieu of flowers, she be remembered by a contribution to the YWCA of Monterey County, the First United Methodist Church of Pacific Grove, or Planned Parenthood Mar Monte.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 11:00 am at the First United Methodist Church of Pacific Grove, Sunset and 17 Mile Drive.