Friday, April 24, 2020
/public-file/1310/Ultra/c4499b17-ee5e-4b33-b2c5-ab3bbc097d28.jpeg
/public-file/1311/Ultra/68a55c7d-b0da-43d8-8113-c3ce67899c42.jpeg
When I think about a loving and inspiring relative, with a great sense of humor, my thoughts turn to (Aunt) Bettye. She was elegant and sophisticated, yet humble, with the unique gift to always bring life to a room. At any family gathering, it was guaranteed to hear a story (or few) of her adventures, which usually ended with a laugh. She was fearless, and never allowed her gender to be a barrier between what she wanted to do and her accomplishing it. I always loved her contagious zest for life and energizing spirit. At a family wedding in the mid-90s, she joined me in the front line to do the Macarena. She was also very generous and giving. During a more formal family event, I told her how much I loved the dress she was wearing. The next day, I was gifted with that dress, plus the shoes she wore with it. I’ll always treasure that gesture, and the dress that still hangs in my closet.
Bettye touched my life more than she probably knew, and I am so blessed to have had her as my aunt.
~Deb (Kohler) Andree
Photo 1: Aunt Bettye and me at a Bramwell family gathering, 1958. Photo 2: Aunt Bettye and me doing the Macarena, mid-90s.
