The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Betty Lee McBee

Betty McBee passed from this earth into the arms of Jesus on April 2, 2022 in Holyoke.

Betty was born on Sept. 28, 1932 at her family home. Her parents were William (Bill) Henry Milholland and Blondena Dorsey (Kerns) Milholland. Betty was the third of seven children born to Bill and Blondena. Her siblings were Ila, Don, Norma, Judy, Billy and Allen. Betty grew up in rural Phillips County and attended Holyoke Schools. She was active in marching band while attending Holyoke High School.

Betty married Don Guernsey in 1949 and in the mid '50s they moved to Denver where Don was a police officer. Betty and Don had four children including Craig, Ronald, Janet and Jeffrey. Betty worked in retail settings. Betty and Don divorced in 1973.

Betty married Jim McBee in 1980 and their family increased with the addition of Jim's kids, Sherri, Carol, Scott and Deanna. Jim and Betty made a point of not defining whose kids any of them were; they were all Jim and Betty's kids. They moved to Paoli in the fall of 1982. Deanna came to live with them shortly afterward.

Betty was baptized as a child and her faith was always strong. Jim and Betty attended First Baptist Church in Holyoke. Betty was very active in her church and enjoyed volunteering at Melissa Memorial Hospital, where she greeted each person with a smile and an encouraging word. Betty belonged to sewing/quilting groups in Holyoke and Sterling.

In addition to her sewing and quilting projects she was also extremely gifted in making stained glass and often had several needlework projects going. Betty made quilts for her family and often for friends, she made baby quilts for each of the babies in all three generations of grandchildren. She also designed angels for all of the women in her life from her mom, mother-in-law, sisters, daughters and granddaughters and each angel was named after them. It was a family tradition that at Christmas each daughter and grandchild received a handmade gift and the guys all got tins full of homemade cookies, this was a delight every year.

Betty is survived by children Ron and wife Marsha, Paoli, Janet and husband Kevin, Thornton, Sherri and husband Steve, Denver, Carol, Denver, Jeff, Wheatland, Wyo., Scott and significant other Linda, Coral Springs, Fla., Deanna, Paoli, and Kim, Haxtun; 17 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren; as well as countless nieces and nephews.

Betty is preceded in death by her parents; son Craig; sisters Ila and Norma; brothers Don, Bill and Allen; sons-in-law John and Peter; and grandchildren Cara, Rachel, Jamie and Joe.

In Lieu of flowers please make a donation in Betty McBee's name to the First Baptist Church of Holyoke