Betty Jo Clow

Betty was born on August 9, 1923 at her Grandparents Casey's home in the country. The doctor, Evan was late getting there. She was the second child for Charlie and Ethel Pickett. Their first child, Lois was born on July 30, 1920.

Betty first memory was living near Forsyth, Missouri with her sisters Lois and Pauline. Her next memories were living on the farm at Somis, California where she started school there in 1929.

While she was in the 5th grade the family moved to a ranch near Santa Maria, California. Her father was a foreman, which covered two cattle ranches. Her mother was the cook for the men who worked there. Betty and her sisters were the helpers who made lunches and more.

In 1934, the family left Santa Maria and returned to the family farm in Missouri. A new family home was built on the land the family owned near Forsyth. Betty graduated from High School as the valedictorian with a 1 year scholarship to Southwest Missouri State. While in college, she worked in the library for 2-3 hours a day. She earned $0.50 an hour. She finished college in 3 years and graduated in 1944 with a Bachelor of Science with a major in English & Commerce.

After college, Betty moved home to be with her parents in Wichita, Kansas and worked for Boeing Aircraft. She continued to work there until World War II was over. After the war she flew to San Bernardino, California to where here sister Lois was working with the U.S. Engineers.

It was then that she started working for a construction company who was building levees. When this job was over, her parents were living in Camarillo, California. She got a job at Port Hueneme. Pauline was working there also. Pauline was reading about Mexico and wanted to travel there. When Betty was 21, both her and Pauline left on a train for Guadalajara, Mexico in 1934.

In 1947, Betty got a teaching job at Pasadena City College in the Business Department. She was living in Alhambra, California at the time with her sister Pauline.

One evening, the phone rang and Betty had answered it. The story goes that he was going to ask out what ever daughter of Charlie and Ethel answered. Well Betty answered and her and Bill went out dancing. Bill was working in Los Angeles and would come over every weekend and stay at Lois's home which was just a few blocks away. Betty and Bill spent their first Thanksgiving together in Pioneer town where Bill's parents lived in a garage they had built.

Bill asked Betty to marry him while they were sitting in their parked car by the school in Yucca Valley. Of course she said yes and they planned a July wedding. They got married in Glendale at the Wee Kirk o' the Heather Church on July 17, 1948. It was a faithful rendition of the village church of Glencairn, Scotland. The reception was at the Glendale Women's Club. The bungalow clubhouse was dedicated in 1913 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Betty bought her beautiful satin white wedding dress at Bullocks.

After Bill and Betty married, they lived in San Gabriel in a two bedroom house. During that time, they bought a lot in East Los Angeles near Lois. Bill built a one bedroom one garage home. He built it while living and working in San Gabriel. Betty was teaching and taught 4 classes for an annual income of $2,300.00 a year.

Randy was born on December 10, 1950 at Huntington Memorial Hospital. After his birth, she went back to teaching school at night. Shortly after Randy's birth, Bill and Betty purchased 2 acres close to where Disneyland was to be built in Anaheim. Cindy was born on March 3, 1952 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Orange. At that time they were living in the garage until the rest of the house was being built. It was a beautiful home with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, a kitchen, dining room, service room, living room with a fireplace, a porch on the left side of the house plus a breezeway next to the garage. Gail was born on November 9, 1954 also at St. Joseph's Hospital in Orange. During the time Betty was pregnant with John, Bill added 2 bedrooms and 1 master bedroom. John was born on September 11, 1957 at St. Joseph's Hospital.

The family moved to Newport Beach when John was in High School . Randy, Cindy and Gail were all in college. Betty no longer worked outside of the home but she did crafts, went to the gym, took care of the house, paid taxes, kept income records, planted flowers etc. She also joined the Garden Club in Big Canyon.

In 1985 Bill and Betty moved to St. Croix, Virgin Islands. Years later, they sold and came home to Newport Beach, California. Betty rejoined the Garden Club and other groups at Big Canyon. They played bridge regularly with friends and worked on the yard. Betty loved traveling and continued to do so as she got older. She especially loved taking short cruises.

Betty passed away on Friday, December 9, 2016 in Newport Beach, California.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donations be made to Sherman Gardens, Corona del Mar, California 92625.