7/15/2005
Bettie (Core) Wilson passed away suddenly July 15 at her home in Albuquerque. Born August 3, 1921, in Marion, Illinois but raised in Knoxville, Iowa, she was "a grand old girl" who left us too soon but leaves us with memories of a lifetime of unconditional
love and caring.
Bettie epitomized the Greatest Generation and could have been the poster girl for pioneer stock. She was a member of the Mayflower Society, had strong traditional roots, and was an advocate of personal responsibility, thrift, kindness, and living honorably. All who knew her loved and respected her.
She received a journalism degree prior to WWII and worked in newspapers in her younger years – and in her heart forever. She inherited Ronald Reagan's desk at the Des Moines Register when he left for Hollywood.
Her lifelong love of words was demonstrated by her devilish abilities at Scrabble and her thrill at using all seven tiles. In addition to her work with newspapers, she ran a Red Cross program for years and most recently was still an active substitute teacher. In her youth, she was a diving champ, and taught sailing on Lake Geneva,
WS.
An Air Force wife for almost 30 years, Bettie raised her children in Roswell; Fort Worth; Sidi Slimane, Morocco; Riverside, California; Goose Bay, Labrador, and finally Albuquerque.
Once settled here, she returned to college at age 50 to get a teaching certificate. In order to save money, she rode a motorcycle to/from UNM and proudly still retained her motorcycle endorsement on her driver's license. While at UNM, Tony Hillerman gave her an A++ for writing " Wishing Away the Warts", and she was forever proud of it.
Never a great cook, she WAS creative. In 1982 she was a finalist at the Chef Boyardee Cook-off in Chicago. Anyone who ever tasted her " Cherry Dump" wondered how she made it that far. And she loved Chili Rellenos – the hotter the better.
She also loved to travel and gladly suffered from wanderlust; just last month she returned from a 17-day trip to Greece and the Aegean islands. A few years ago she accomplished a lifelong dream when she finally visited the last of the 50 United States; in her 70s she drove the AlCan Highway just to visit Alaska and add it to
her list.
A Rockhound for decades, she'd went July 14 with her group from Palo Duro into the Jemez to a favorite spot near Cuba. Bettie also was an original member of Carl's Group – philosophical thinking folks with inquiring minds.
And, she loved anything to do with Eagles so for the Bicentennial in 1976, she drove to Fort Worth (where
it was legal at the time) to have an eagle tattooed on the cheek of her butt. She
really loved eagles and tattoos.
Bettie is survived by her children Gail (Jim) Williams of Aztec, Lynn (Vicki) and Lewis (Kathy) of Albuquerque, and Matt (Susan) of Sandia Park.
She is also survived by her grandchildren (and great-grandchildren) David (wife Carla, with Ashley and newborn twins Joshua and Noah), Dan (wife Marcea, with Ben and Peter), Jennifer, and Amanda Wilson. She leaves behind a sister-in-law, cousins, nieces, and nephews she loved dearly.
Preceding her in death were her parents Paul and Verna.