Betty Jo McBee, age 97, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, great-aunt, and the woman with the greenest thumb in town, passed away on March 30, 2024 in Covington, Louisiana, surrounded by family.
She was born on July 31, 1926 in San Antonio, Texas to the late Joseph Bernard and Marie Wittler Huslage, who loved to entertain and play cards, just like Betty Jo. No one threw a party like Betty Jo. From weddings to summer lake days, Rummi at the camp, and holidays, she always had the best food and fun planned.
Betty Jo met the love of her life, Louis Everett McBee, at a friend’s house before going to a baseball game, in 1946. They shared a love of dancing and sports. Louis loved to play baseball, while Betty Jo like to watch the games. After two years of dating, they got married on January 31, 1948.
Betty Jo and Louis were excited to start a family and had their first child, Louis Everett McBee, Jr. (wife, Beverly), while Louis was still attending college at Texas A & M University. Louis, Jr. was soon followed by Glenn Hebert, Steve Michael (wife, Carolyn), and Karen Cancienne (husband, Terry). Though Betty Jo loved being a mother, her favorite role was that of grandmother and then great grandmother.
Betty Jo treasured her time with her grandkids and great grandkids and loved being their Mee-Maw, Granny Banianie, Granma, Women, Old Grandma, and Grandma the Great. Betty Jo is survived by her grandchildren, Brandon McBee (wife, Sheri), Jason McBee (wife, Christian), Kyle McBee (wife, Whitney), Stevie Lynn Schwartzenburg (husband, Michael), Nicholas McBee (wife, Giselle), Katie Jo Cancienne, Jacob Cancienne (wife, Megan), Emelie Cancienne (husband, Jared Schoendorf), and Kelley Cancienne; and her great grandchildren, Ethan, Peyton, Khloe, Jason, Luke, Wyatt, Reed, Maverick, Patton, Tinsley, Walker, Hayes, Hadley, Emma Jo, Colt, Maxine, and Everett.
Betty Jo not only kept her immediate family close to her heart, but also her extended family. She adored all her nieces and nephews; the Texas clan; and the Hi Y’all’s.
She was also an active member of the Garden Club and AARP, where she was the travel planner for many years. She made many close friendships with her involvement with these groups, most of which have lasted throughout her life.
Betty Jo will always be remembered for hosting parties, playing cards, gardening, Saturday night tacos, epic Christmas Eve extravaganzas, spending summers at the camp that she and Louis built, but most of all, her loyalty to her family and friends. We could not have asked for a better wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, friend, and will miss her every single day.
Betty Jo was preceded in death by her husband, Louis McBee; her son, Glen McBee; her sister, Marian Bess Rutledge; and her parents, Joseph and Marie Huslage.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Memorial Mass in the chapel of Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in New Orleans, on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 12:00PM. A visitation will be held at the funeral home beginning at 10:00AM. The interment will follow the Mass at All Saints Mausoleum in Metairie Cemetery.
To view and sign the online guest book, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com.
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