Obituary: Elizabeth (Betty) Ann Petrie

Betty Ann Petry was born Oct. 29, 1915 in Los Banos to Magdalena (Breunig) MacDougall and Archibald Hepburn MacDougall.

She graduated from University of the Pacific in 1937 with a history degree and was a member of Epsilon Lambda Sigma sorority.

Upon hearing of the Pearl Harbor bombing, Betty enlisted in the Navy and was sent to Washington DC where she was in communications. She was discharged in 1945 attaining the rank of Lieutenant JG.

She married Thomas Petrie in May 1947.

Being a member of the Shafter Woman's club enabled Betty to become involved with "Operation Morale," a project to send packages of food to servicemen overseas during the Vietnam War. Hundreds of food packages were sent to those servicemen from Buttonwillow, Wasco and Shafter. In 1969 Betty received the Shafter Chamber of Commerce Service Award.

Betty went back to teaching kindergarten in 1970 and retired in 1983 and continued volunteering in Marlene Wilson's kindergarten room at Richland Elementary.

Betty loved playing bridge and could still bid a slam into her '90s. She also enjoyed painting, sewing, needlepoint, and knitting. She was a voracious reader and was interested in everything. She traveled to Europe, Canada, Panama Canal and several trips to Hawaii.

She was predeceased by her parents, her brother Clifford, her sister Annette and her loving husband Tom. She is survived by her daughter Sue Paxton.

Special thanks to the staff at Brookdale Assisted Living, the Veterans organization who helped her celebrate her birthdays and to Julie Gisinger.

A Mass will be held Feb. 3 at 9:30 a.m. at St Phillips Catholic Church on Stockdale Highway in Bakersfield. Masks will be required.

Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Betty's name should be sent to St. Jude Children's Hospital.