Betty Winifred Olsen Davis Nitka

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Betty, 88 years, on August 8, 2016, but with great joy we will celebrate her life with us. Betty was the oldest Elder Tribal Member of the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California and a fluent speaker of their language Lake Miwok. In fact, Lake Miwok was her first language and is unique only to her Middletown Rancheria Tribe. She later learned English as a young girl attending school at the Lower Lake Schoolhouse, located in Lake County, CA.

Betty was born in San Francisco, on September 24, 1927, to Alma Yee Olsen Grace, also a Tribal Member of Middletown Rancheria, and Peder Rascin Olsen, of Stavanger, Norway. Her father immigrated in 1909 and served in the armed forces during WWII. He married her mother in 1918. Betty was baptized at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Calistoga, CA, in March 1931, and has remained a faithful Catholic her entire life.

Betty lived on the Middletown Rancheria with her grandmother, Maggie Johnson (Coast Miwok/Lake Miwok), for many years. During this time, the country was experiencing the Great Depression, where many faced hardships like joblessness and scarce resources. Her grandmother was a huge influence on her and she embraced many teachings from Maggie, who was said to be a strong medicine woman. Her mother Alma was instrumental in assisting a linguist from Berkeley, Catherine Callaghan, to document the Lake Miwok language and later creating a language dictionary. Betty continued her mother’s language work with Catherine and quickly became very close friends. She became an accomplished basket weaver and artist. Betty was a talented artist and enjoyed painting on canvas, ink/pencil drawings and ceramics.

In March 1945, Betty married Russell Davis, Sr., a Tribal Member from Upper Lake Rancheria (Habematolel Pomo) and while living with him in San Francisco had three children, Russell Raymond, Jr., Lisa Ramona and Lora. She returned to the Rancheria and later divorced Russell in June 1950. The historic old cabin she lived in during this time still remains on the Rancheria.

While living in San Francisco, Betty met Joseph M. Nitka, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and married him in November 1952. While traveling with Joseph throughout his military career, they had five sons: John, Michael, James, Paul and Lawrence. In 1967, they moved to Tucson, Arizona, where she attended college, continued to raise their children, and retired, and remained longtime residents.