This page is for a special lady that I first met in 1968
when she was one of our new teachers. She taught with me
until she married and started her family, becoming a stay
at home mom for several years. She then started working
with her husband James in their bookkeeping business. Yes,
Betty, this is your page and just watch out for some
things that have been secrets for a while.

While teaching together, we did manage to get into some
mischief. There was one year that we had come across this
unbelievable “Sick Leave Policy” which we copied and put
in each teachers’ mail box bright and early on April Fools’
Day. Our principal about had a fit from worrying about what
might have happened if someone from the central office had
come into the school and seen this masterpiece! The next week,
we heard about a student who was planning to run away from
home and go to Washington D.C. We heard at school that day
that the student planned to go see her third grade teacher
before leaving town. We managed to get the teacher’s address
and go to her home to let her know what the student was planning.
She talked with the student and managed to talk her into
returning home. At a faculty meeting that week, our principal
spoke to the faculty about the person/persons who had been so
thoughtless as to put the Sick Leave Policy in the mail boxes
and then about the two teachers who had been so considerate and
had gone out of their way to help keep the student from running
away. I don’t guess he knows to this day that we were the ones
“guilty” of both deeds.

We also worked with students who had gotten into drugs and some
others who decided at various times that running away was better
than staying at home. Both of us were at one point called on the
carpet because our names had been mentioned in the home of a
suspected drug user. Like - what student doesn’t mention their
teachers’ or even principal’s names in their home at some time
or other! We were both very fortunate because the parents of
these students were so understanding. We never met any who
threatened to sue because we had even hinted that their child
was using drugs.

Over the years we worked concessions at ball games, took up
tickets, started fund raising fairs for the various clubs to
fund their causes, helped with decorations for proms, and
had Christmas parties at St. Vincent’s Boys’ Home until it
closed several years ago. These visits were my Spanish Club’s
project but Betty was always a wonderful co-chaperon and great
help in getting everything prepared once we arrived at the
home. After a couple of years, we also added a cookout in the
spring with the boys because the students decided that a visit
once a year just was not enough. Betty also was the sponsor
or our school annual for several years and did a terrific job!

Betty, as well as James, has always been there with helping
hands, moral support and advice whenever needed. She was
there to help my nephew when he had his problems and to offer
moral support for all of us. She was there when I had my
surgery in 1986, stayed with me to give my sister a break and
took me to the doctor for my follow up visit when I was
unable to drive. When my nephew Joey didn’t come home on
the school bus when he was in the third grade, Betty and James,
in separate vehicles, went out in the pouring rain to help
look for him. Joey had gotten on the wrong bus and the
driver had returned him to the school for the principal to
call us. When Joey had surgery on his knee, Betty brought
him a huge dish of her famous meatballs which he so loves!!!!

Betty is a very talented person who over the years has
gotten us into various activities such as league bowling,
ceramics, Scherenschnitte: the art of decorative paper
cutting, candy making using various molds for chocolate
covered cherries, bonbons, peanut butter cups, mint patties,
caramels, etc. I don't think there is any craft that she
hasn't done at some time or other. She is one of those
people who can do anything once she decides she wants to
do it and she does it par excellence!

Betty has been a “mom” to many and is now a grand-mother
and I know she and James will not spoil their grand-daughter
any more than they have so many little ones. One little one
who thinks Betty and James are absolutely the greatest is my
great-niece Mattie. Two years ago when Mattie was taken from
our care just before Thanksgiving, we had completely forgotten
about a turkey, dressing, or anything else. On Thanksgiving
day about 9:00 am, our phone rang and it was Betty calling to
tell us to get ourselves up to her house for Thanksgiving
dinner with her family! Later, they also had Mattie up for a
sleep over at their home which Mattie thought was just the
neatest idea ever. Mattie loves to go to visit them because
she knows that they will always have hugs and James always
has candy for her sweet tooth!

So Betty, I guess this page is really for both of you for
being angles over all these years! Thank you both
for always being there through thick and thin.

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This background set made and copyrighted by Lady Care.

Made with love September 22, 2002