Bill and Betty Thomson at our fall 2010 meeting |
As Governor Ginny Gotlieb reported at our 10/29 meeting, our long-time member and former Historian, Bill Thomson, lost his wife of 63 years Betty last July 16. Many of us remember her as a vivacious and sparkling guest at many of our meetings.
Betty like Bill, graduated from North Texas University, where she was an honors graduate in fine arts and later earned teaching credentials as well as a California realtor’s license. A member of Kappa Theta Pi sorority, she was a campus beauty, one of those chosen in 1947 to fly to Austin for the selection of a North Texas Beauty Queen by Gov. Beauford Jester.
In addition to Bill, She is survived by her children Carol Maloney and husband Mayer of Bloomington, IN, Mark Thomson and wife Kathy of Ventura, CA, Laurie Yourist and husband Sheldon of York, PA, and John Thomson and wife Tina of Pasadena. She was lovingly known as “Nanee” to her twelve grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
In addition to her family devotion, she participated in USC’s Town and Gown, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and was a charter member of the Women of the Woods Club of her Chapman Woods neighborhood.
My heart felt condolences to Bill and his family. Betty was a lovely person and was very supportive of Bill in his Jamestowne endeavors. I will always remember her smiling face at our meetings.
Cher Bucknam
Honorary Governor
2006-2008