Betty was born November 25, 1936 in Washington D.C., to Joseph Eugene and Gayle E. Boyts. Her dad Joseph died when she was two years old. Her mom then married Carl Knighten. The new family, including her older sister Gayle, moved to Clearwater, FL.
She attended Clearwater High School where she met and eventually married Daniel Wells. Dan always said she looked like Elizabeth Taylor, and indeed she was beautiful. Their union started a long tradition of Clearwater High Alum, down to their grandchildren.
Their first child was Eugene Wells, named after her dad. He was born in 1954 when she was 17 years old. Eighteen months later, in 1956, came her second child Daniel. She followed the parenting style of the 1950’s, of consistent routine, and this valuable trait is seen in her sons even today. Her third son Paul followed in 1961. Dan worked hard long hours as a welder and as a part time fire fighter. The union between Betty and Daniel ended soon after Paul was born. She worked hard as a single mom and became a waitress at a popular tourist attraction of the day called the “Kapok Tree’. It was popular for the yummy corn fritters, which her lucky children were able to indulge in when she brought leftovers home. These were lean financial times, and one memory was of a refrigerator that was fed quarters to work.
She managed her home, with her three young boys in Safety Harbor. Her strict routine helped make this a little easier to follow. Her home was meticulous always, she worked hard, and was able to save enough money by 1965 for a down payment on a new home in Clearwater. She did this all on her own, with no child support, and made the best of things.
After moving to Clearwater, she secured a job as a cocktail waitress at Shore Lanes Bowling Alley. The year was 1967 and it was there that she met her true soulmate, Larry. Larry loved Betty very much, her always beautiful home, her sons, her cooking, and her beauty. Soon after they got married, Larry took a job in Saudi Arabia with Lockheed Aircraft. Betty and Paul joined him a year later. This overseas job enabled her to see and experience amazing new places and things. They saw places like Thailand, Africa, and many others. In 1978 they returned to Clearwater, and settled in having neighborhood parties with neighbors in the backyard, and befriending a squirrel Larry named Pinky. Many holidays, birthday parties, and even a wedding occurred in this home. In 1990, Larry lost his battle with melanoma skin cancer. Betty placed a flag, flowers, and other things on his grave, faithfully for as long as she could. Eventually, she went back to work at McMullen Nursery and then Nielsen Media, where she retired in 1996.
Her sons were always there for her, and helped as much as they could. Paul lived with her. In November of 2017, she was hospitalized from a fall and never fully recovered. In January 15, 2019, she left this earthly place for her home in heaven, and is now with Larry once again.
In Lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Alzheimer's Association.
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