Betty Mae Yokie

She loved crafting and Nascar. Highballs and Pinocle. Football and cloud watching. She loved her kids, adored her grandkids, and always said she’d do anything for family. Even bail them out of jail if needed. (Not that it WAS ever needed, but it was nice to know).

Born in South Euclid, Ohio in 1924, Betty May (Kebrdle) Yokie was a daughter, sister, wife, aunt, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was the bride of John O. Yokie, a WWII B-17 pilot, from 1942 until his death in 1997. After living briefly in Florida and El Paso, the native Ohioans moved their family to Austin, Texas in 1952.

Betty was a devoted wife and mother, welcoming wayward friends of her children into her home with a smile and, most likely, something delicious to eat. Her pancakes are fondly remembered and her coffee cake is still famous both in her immediate family as well as with anyone else who has been lucky enough to taste it. She was a fantastic cook who hosted many a holiday meal which are well-remembered by her family.

She was a talented seamstress who sewed many an outfit for her children, grandchildren, and even their dolls! When her daughter was in junior high, Betty surprised her on the day of the school dance with a beautiful, homemade blue taffeta dress so she could feel like a princess at the ball. She was also a crafty lady who, among many other projects, took to weaving homemade rugs on a loom with her husband. She found creative ways to use things most people would throw away without a thought. Something as simple as a page torn from a magazine was transformed into a three-dimensional butterfly, empty glass jars were used to make “bottled sunshine,” tiny, smiling felt suns with googly eyes. Nothing was ever wasted and everything could be turned into something pretty or useful.

When her grandchildren would stay at her house for the day and were put down for a nap, they would always remind her to wake them up before afternoon cartoons came on. She never once forgot, nor was she stingy with the ice cream cones to enjoy while watching Bugs Bunny.

She would tell funny stories, notably of the reason she and her husband slept in separate beds. She claimed he was a cover hog. He said she was the one at fault and he was the one left to shiver. It’s unknown if the dispute was ever fully resolved.

Ever thinking of the enjoyment of others, she made a point to cut out cute pictures, sweet sayings, and interesting or funny magazine articles to send to family members. And when she and her husband made a special trip to visit their granddaughter in college, she made sure to bring along a tin of homemade sugar cookies, the ones usually reserved for Christmas, cut into heart shapes and dusted with red sugar.

Strong in her faith and open-minded to the unusual, she even had a touch of clairvoyance and wasn’t shy about sharing it.

Betty passed away in her sleep on Tuesday Oct. 8, 2013. In the spring, her remains will be interred with her husband’s at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio. Her family and friends will remember a life well lived, full of love, faith, joy and delicious food, and are left to imagine one hell of a Pinochle game in the Hereafter.

Please share memories of Betty and extend condolences to her family on her memorial page www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com