Bettie H. Hansen Luke

Bettie Luke, loving mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully on December 29, 2017, with her family by her side. Bettie was born on June 10, 1919 to Hazel Davey Hansen and Reuben Hansen in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was raised in Salt Lake City with her brothers, Richard and Robert. Growing up in Utah, Bettie was an avid skier and enjoyed riding horses. She was very talented musically, playing violin with the Utah Symphony Orchestra. She could play the piano by ear and just had to hear a song once to be able to play it perfectly. She graduated from South High School in Salt Lake City and was soon employed by the Utah Oil Company as a highly regarded secretary. She felt blessed to have this job in the midst of the depression and met life-long friends during her time at Utah Oil.

On a blind date, she met the love of her life, Roscoe Luke, who was stationed in Utah when he was in the Air Force as a B-25/B-29 pilot during World War II. They were married in September 1944. In 1949, Roscoe and Bettie moved to Ventura and had two children, Pam and Gary.

Bettie was a stay-at-home mom and she loved her family very much. She loved to cook and sew and provided a wonderful home for her family. She enjoyed creative projects making beaded items and gold leaf decorations making sure her home always looked beautiful. Bettie was active in the Epsilon Sigma Alpha Sorority, Beta Kappa Chapter 954 for many years and enjoyed the many friendships she made with her sorority sisters raising money for charities. When Bettie’s children were grown and left home, she went to work with Ventura County where she retired from the Mental Health department.

Bettie loved her home and neighbors in the Ondulando neighborhood. The family moved into the home in 1963 and Bettie lived there independently until her home burned down in the Thomas fire.

Bettie’s faith was very important to her and she cherished her involvement and friendships with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Bettie’s greatest joy occurred when her granddaughter, Amanda, was born. She was overjoyed a second time with the birth of granddaughter, Katie. She loved being a grandmother more than anything. Bettie was an active and involved mother and grandmother who dedicated her life to loving and helping her children and grandchildren.

Bettie was preceded in death by her husband, Roscoe, her parents, and her brothers. She is survived by her daughter Pam Burns and Jack Beardmore in Ventura; son and daughter-in-law, Gary and Brooke Luke in Moorpark; her granddaughters, Amanda Luke in St. Helena, CA and Katie Luke in New York, NY. She is also survived by a cousin, three nieces, a nephew, and extended family who all loved her dearly.

The family’s heartfelt gratitude is extended to the exemplary doctors and nurses at St John’s Pleasant Valley Camarillo hospital who took care of Bettie during her recent illness and death.

A private burial service is planned. A Celebration of Life memorial will be held on Saturday, February 3, 2018, 11:00am, at Ted Mayr Funeral Home.