Elizabeth Jane Fairbank

Elizabeth Jane Fairbank “Betty” passed away peacefully on May 21,2013 at her home in Monterey, California. She was 92 years old. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 64 years William “Bill” Fairbank. She is survived by their five sons, John, Tom, Michael, Dave and Jim, her daughter-in-laws Cynthia, Marsha, Kimberly and Darlene, her seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren

Betty was born on September 24,1920 in Los Angeles, California and grew up in Southern California. She graduated from Hoover High School in Glendale, California in 1938 and went on to graduate from UC Berkeley. Following graduation she was a flight attendant for Continental Airlines and did research for Lockheed on passenger travel issues She and Bill Fairbank were married in the chapel at the Mission Inn in Riverside, California in 1945 after he returned from serving in the Pacific. They then settled in Sacramento, California where Bill held various positions in state government and retired as the chief lobbyist for the Metropolitan Water District. During their time in Sacramento, Betty was busy raising their five sons who became champion swimmers including one who competed in the 1972 Olympic games. She also stayed active outside the home as a substitute teacher and as a “Gray Lady” at Mather Air Force Base.

In 1975, after her sons were grown, she and Bill moved from Sacramento to their 40 acre family owned ranch in Newcastle ,California and she began working as a volunteer for the Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce. Two years later she was named the manager. She retired in 1983 after a successful tenure as Chamber manager during which the membership and revenue doubled.

Following her husband Bill’s retirement, she fulfilled her lifelong dream to travel. She and her husband traveled around the world including multiple trips to Africa and Nepal where they participated in animal research for the University of California.

During their retirement years, Betty and her husband Bill lived in Incline Village and Palm Desert before moving to Monterey where they were active with Meals on Wheels and spent time with their visiting children and grandchildren.

She will be laid to rest beside her husband Bill at Arlington National Cemetery in a private family service.

Donations in Betty’s memory can be made to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) an international medical humanitarian organization-either on line at https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/donate/tributes/form_print.cfm

or by mail to Doctors Without Borders USA ,P.O. Box 5030 Hagerstown, MD 21741-5030