Elizabeth "Betty" May, age 90, passed from this world at her home, November 5th. Betty was born Elizabeth Marie Juhl to Ernst and Mary Juhl in Beaver Creek, Minnesota February 1, 1921. The family grew to include her siblings- Bob, Bill and Nancy. Betty grew up on the family farm where the Juhl's raised champion Duroc hogs. She attended Mankato State University and received a 2 year certificate, then spent several years teaching in a one-room school house. Later, responding to a call for nurses during WWII, she attended a Cadet Nursing Program and received her Diploma in Nursing. She obtained most of her experience at the Mayo Clinic and worked stateside during WWII.
She moved to Denver and worked as a nurse, eventually meeting the love of her life, Bob, at a Methodist young adult fellowship. They married on June 12, 1949 in Denver. As many young couples did after WWII, Bob and Betty and their 5 children moved to numerous cities in the Midwest and the West, following their careers in civil engineering and nursing.
After all the moves, they ended up settling in Carson City where they resided for 46 years. Betty went back to UNR and received her B.S. in special education. She taught in both Dayton and Carson City until she and Bob retired in 1981.
To those who knew her, Betty will be remembered as a person of strong conviction and a champion for those less fortunate. She never met a person she couldn't talk to. Even as Betty's health declined, she continued to help others by tutoring, advocating and making quilts for local homeless shelters.
Betty is survived by her husband of 62 years, Bob; her sister, Nancy Christianson (Ray); children, William (Gail), Larry (Dawn), Tom, Andy, Kathy (Jeff) Ingelse; grandchildren, Tiffany, Jonathan, Isaiah, Alondra, Aniela and 6 great grand-children. A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 12 at 11:00am at Autumn Funerals in Carson City, 1575 Lompa Lane, followed by a celebration of life at Sierra Place, 1111 College Parkway, Saturday, November 12 at 2:30pm.
Special thanks to VistaCare Hospice and to all the wonderful community at Sierra Place. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity.
In closing, we are reminded of Shakespeare's "all the world's a stage." Betty loved an audience and relished the role she played. The curtain has dropped, please join us for a round of applause.