Elizabeth Jean Brashears

She was preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Ella Oft; her sister, Marilyn Crill; and her beloved husband, Claude Brashears. She is survived by her three sons, Robert (Bruna), Thomas (Jane), and William (Peiching); six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Born on February 15, 1927, in Grand Island, Nebraska, Bettye moved to Arizona as a child when her family settled in Douglas on the U.S.–Mexico border. They later relocated to Phoenix to pursue educational opportunities for the children. Arizona became her lifelong home for nearly a century and the backdrop for many family adventures in the Southwest.

Bettye earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Arizona State University and dedicated her professional life to teaching first grade at Barcelona Elementary School in Glendale. For more than twenty-five years, she warmly welcomed and guided generations of young students, leaving a lasting impression on countless families.

On July 4, 1950, she married Claude Brashears at Grace Lutheran Church in Phoenix. A devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, Bettye navigated the demands of military life during Claude’s years of service and later embraced a life centered on family, faith, and education. The Lutheran Church remained a constant throughout her life, with St. John’s Lutheran Church serving as a meaningful home for worship and community service.

Known to friends as “Bettye Bee,” she was an eternal optimist whose kindness, encouragement, and gentle spirit uplifted everyone she met. She cherished travel, time spent at the family cabin in the Bradshaw Mountains, and staying closely involved in the lives of her children and grandchildren.

Bettye will be remembered for her warmth, her faith, and the countless lives she touched as a teacher, friend, and beloved matriarch.