Obit of West, Betty Lorraine - Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 8 Jul 2007 Return to Oklahoma County Archives: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/oklahoma/oklahoma.html ===================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm ===================================================================== ::Veteran's Memorial Cemetery--Boise ID West, Betty Lorraine WEST, BETTY LORRAINE GIBSON April 7, 1927 to December 28, 2006 Betty was born in Oklahoma City, OK, the daughter of Minnie and Byron Gibson. At age 13, she moved to Los Angeles, CA, with her mother and younger brother. She graduated from Los Angeles High School. At the age of 18, she started modeling for I. Magnum, Joseph Magnum, and continued modeling for the John Robert Powers agency doing ad commercials and runway shows. She later modeled for Neimann Marcus and Nordstroms. She married Ensign Raymond W. (Bill) West, USN on May 8, 1945 (V-E Day). Betty was a wonderful parent, loving spouse, and officer's wife. Over the next 22 years, she took the squadron officer's wives under her wing. As a member of the Navy Wives group, she participated in and organized fundraisers, family support groups and PTA activities. After retirement in 1967, Bill moved the family to Chicago, IL where he trained for a civilian career. Betty took on her role of businessman's wife with aplomb and style. They returned to La Mesa, CA in 1971 to work and ultimately retire. She became very involved with local businesswomen's groups, graduated from college with a degree in fashion and design, and started her own business, "Reflection of Success" in 1982. For the next 15 years, she enjoyed doing seminars in San Diego and aboard cruise ships, often accompanied by Bill after his retirement in 1991. She traveled all over the world and hosted several trips to Asia through Grossmont JC Extended Studies Program. Additionally, she taught adult ed classes on dress, style, makeup, and hair for working and professional women. She was a member of The Fashion Group International, San Diego Zoological Society, and Friends of East County Performing Arts. Due to declining health, she and Bill moved to Meridian, ID in 2004 to live closer to family. Most importantly, she was Bill's wonderful wife of 61 1/2 years, and a super mom to her 4 children. Children, Bill (Audrey) West of Ankeny, IA; Terri Webley of W. Chicago, IL; Barbara-Lee (James) Jordan of Meridian, ID; and Beverly (Harold) West-Anderson of Nampa, ID; 10 grandchildren, and 11 great- grandchildren survive her. The family will privately inurn Betty at the Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in Boise, ID. They'll have a Celebration of Life in San Diego in the Spring of 2007. Memorials may be sent in her name to Paralyzed Veteran's of America, 801 Eighteenth St, NW, Washington, DC 20006-3517 (www.pva.org); the Zoological Society of San Diego (www.sandiegozoo.org), or the San Diego East County Performing Arts Center, 210 E. Main St., El Cajon, CA 92020. Please sign the guest book at obituaries.uniontrib.com Published in the San Diego Union-Tribune on 1/5/2007. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Oklahoma County Archives: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/oklahoma/oklahoma.html