F. Elizabeth "Betty" Ashcraft Belsley

Florence Elizabeth "Betty" Belsley was born in Clearfield, Pennsylvania on Monday, May 8, 1922 to parents, Bernard Alfred Ashcraft and Leva May Frith. She passed away in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at the age of 89.

Betty graduated in 1940 from Clearfield High School where she was active in many clubs. She attended art school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and then was a commercial artist for Gimbel’s department store. One of her drawings was seen as a Gimbel’s billboard. While in Pittsburgh, she met Ray Belsley whom she married on October 11, 1947. Their first two sons were born in Jackson Heights, New York; the last two sons were born in Levittown, New York. Betty was a loving, caring mother and a Cub Scout den mother for each of her sons. Her determination and courage were exemplified when she drove herself and four little boys from New York to Pennsylvania to see her parents in the summer.

In 1961 Ray was transferred to Houston, Texas where Betty was a docent for the Harris County Heritage Society, an active member of the Houston Quilt Guild, and a handcrafts instructor. Her quilting designs, color combinations, and hand quilting were exquisite. She also cross-stitched, stenciled, designed t-shirts, handcrafted fabric Christmas ornaments and hand-painted wooden recipe boxes shaped like schoolhouses and churches.

Betty was an avid reader with an extensive vocabulary and was a lover of early American history and furnishings. She enjoyed traveling to Japan, Europe, and elder hostels. She was patient, persevering, open-minded and was forever the optimist.

The family wishes to thank her caregivers Marcia Samuda and Rachel Johnson for their hard work and dedication.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Ray Charles Belsley in August 2004 and by her grandson, Evan Belsley. She is survived by her four devoted sons and their families, Scott Belsley and wife Benita of Richardson, Texas, Ray J. Belsley and wife Louise of Houston, Texas, Michael Belsley and wife Sherri of Friendswood, Texas, Kevin Belsley and wife Joanne of Manchaca, Texas. She is also survived by four grandchildren whom she loved dearly, Elisa and Ben Belsley of Richardson, Texas, Edward and Kimberley Belsley of Friendswood, Texas, and by her brother, Robert Elwin Ashcraft and his wife Barbara of West Hartford, Connecticut.

Family and friends gathered at a visitation on Sunday the 28th of August from two until four o'clock in the afternoon at Waltrip Funeral Directors in Houston, where everyone had the opportunity to share memories at three o'clock.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Evan Eric Belsley Memorial Scholarship at the University of North Texas. Checks may be made payable to UNT Foundation, Inc. (please write #709 on memo line) and sent to UNT Foundation, Inc., 1155 Union Circle, #311250, Denton, TX 76203.