9/28/20- - 11/29/19
Betty Spafford slipped away in her sleep on November 29, 2019, 99 years old. Elizabeth Mae Bradley was born on September 28, 1920 to Lynn and Leda (Kern) Bradley near Toledo, Ohio. Her parents divorced when she was three, and Betty grew up the oldest of many grandchildren amidst a rollicking, extended musical family of grandparents and eight aunts and uncles, who doted on her.
Betty excelled at school. She was known for “speaking a piece” and she memorized many poems to perform at family and school gatherings. During college at Bowling Green, Betty sang and traveled with a choral group where her readings were featured.
Early in her college years she fell in love with red-headed engineer John Spafford. He was funny, smart, creative and a great dancer. Smitten, Betty chose to marry John in 1940 instead of becoming an English teacher. They remodeled an old house in Waterville on the banks of the Maumee River, and daughters Sally and Suzy were born.
While building military machinery in Toledo during the war, John was invited to work at Solar Aircraft Co. in San Diego. The family moved in 1948 and began a life of new adventures. Son John completed the family in 1949.
Betty was compelled to create the nuclear family she never had, and focused on providing her children with artistic, musical, sports and scouting experiences. She and John combined their artistic and building talents to design their dream house above a Loma Portal canyon overlooking the mudflats of Mission Bay. Their “early American” home had a stand-up attic the length of the house which provided Betty, child of the depression, plenty of storage space and she never again threw away anything of interest. The family is still sorting it out.
The family developed lifelong friendships at Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church where Betty taught Sunday School, was a deacon, arranged flowers and loved her Bible Circle friends. She was a cherished, 62-year-member of Chapter IZ, P.E.O. Sisterhood. John and Betty hosted lively bridge and potluck evenings, and enjoyed square dancing and ballroom dancing. Betty continued to give lively talks about poetry and antique collecting.
Once the kids were in school, Betty worked at the Village Gift Shop in Point Loma and every cent she made went into a travel fund. She and John took trips all over the world with travel groups and with her sister Nancy and husband Al Douglass.
During the ‘70s Suzy developed Suzy’s Zoo greeting card company, and Betty worked there and archived every single item to continue her travel fund. Betty enjoyed watching the progression of son John’s animal trainer and show designer career at SeaWorld. And she was gratified that Sally chose the teaching career in Santa Barbara that Betty might have had.
Through the decades Betty and John enjoyed good health and the joy of friends and a growing family. John died peacefully at age 100 in 2015, a few months before their 75th wedding anniversary.
Betty is survived by her three children and their spouses, nine grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sisters Nancy Douglass of Newport Beach, and Ruth Schieffer of Tiro, Ohio, and many cousins.
A memorial service will be held on December 28, 2:00, at Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church, 2128 Chatsworth Blvd. 92107. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Church Renovation Fund.
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