Betty May Atwood

Of Melbourne, Florida

Returned to the Realm of Peace and Love on Sunday, May 17, 2015 at age 89

Retired from Rockwell Collins and WalMart

Betty was a beloved member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (Melbourne, Florida), where she joyfully served as Head Usher and later as a Greeter for many years.

Betty May Martin was born on May 24, 1925, in Kansas City, Missouri. Her parents, Gottfried and Katherine, emigrated to Kansas from a German colony, Dobringa, in Russia. Originally, there were thirteen children in Betty’s family.

Betty grew up on a farm during the depression era, and always loved animals. She did not attend school past the 8th grade, but she began working and supporting herself as soon as she could. Most of her experience was at the laundries and dry cleaners on military bases. She became a Master Seamstress, skilled in both tailoring and making clothing.

She met and married Charles “Carl” Harding Atwood (1925-2005) who was in the U.S. Navy. They had one child, a daughter, born at the Corpus Christi, Texas Naval Hospital. While a new mother, Betty traveled to Mexico and to Cuba when Carl was stationed there. Later, they lived in Olathe, Kansas for a short time, then again in Texas. A few years later, they moved to Vero Beach, Florida, to live with Carl’s mother, Marie and her husband, Fred.

In the mid-1960s, they all moved to Melbourne, Florida. Betty and her small family lived on Sarno Access Road; Marie and Fred lived around the corner on Van Buren.

Betty continued working, first at Patrick Air Force Base, and later at O’Brien’s Reweaving and Alterations Shop in downtown Melbourne. She divorced Carl in 1972, and remained in the house on Sarno.

Soon afterwards, Betty left the tailor shop and started working at Rockwell Collins. She received promotions and made many friends at Rockwell. In 1989, she took an early retirement, but kept herself busy with various jobs, including several years as a greeter at the Melbourne WalMart, until she could no longer work.

By today’s standards, Betty did what was (and is) nearly impossible! From a limited education and manual craft-type working background, she had a complete career change, learning to solder and make electronic components and manage others. Betty made a successful life for herself in a small town while raising a child.

Betty loved animals, plants, flowers and butterflies, watching golf and basketball, detective mysteries, and collecting items, especially elephants. Watching the rocket launches from the front porch of her house was always thrilling to her. Dining out was something she always especially enjoyed, especially at Red Lobster.

She was determined, independent, humble and kept moving forward in life, no matter what. She was compassionate (sometimes to a fault), kind, and deeply connected to her faith and her God. No matter what, she always made an effort to be the best person she could be. All who love her will miss her smile!

Betty is survived by her older brother, Benjamin, and her daughter, Dawn BuffaloHeart. Also surviving and greatly beloved by Betty are her “adopted” Ditchfield Family members – Debbie, Woody, Madison and Mallory.