Betty's Obituary

You'll be able to find Betty's obituary in yesterday's Livingston Enterprise (but it's not online yet) and today's Denver Post.  However, the Denver Post incorrectly stated that she died in Bozeman and that her services will be in Bozeman.  That is completely untrue.  She died in Livingston and her services will be in Gardiner.  As well, you can see Betty's Obituary at the funeral home's website. [Note added April 5, 2012: Here is Betty's obituary in the Livingston Enterprise.  The Denver Post made corrections to the obituary, so it appears correctly now.]

Elizabeth "Betty" Louise Bolt Harris Wiebe McGowen

Elizabeth “Betty” Louise McGowen passed away peacefully on March 22 at Livingston Health and Rehabilitation Center.  During her last years, she had suffered from what is thought to be Alzheimer’s Disease.

Betty lived to be 88 years old, having one younger sister Lucinda May Dore who still survives; three husbands who proceeded her in death: Carl Albert Harris, Carl Thomas Wiebe, and Earl Leonard McGowen; two children who proceeded her in death: Gerald “Jerry” Albert Harris, and Alan Ray Wiebe; three surviving grandchildren: Carl Martin and David Harris, and Carlene Adams; six surviving great-grandchildren: Sarah Kay, Justin, Corey, and Amanda Harris, Shawnna Haynes, and Courtney York; and four surviving great-great-grandchildren: Breyden Ray and Jaxon Martin Haynes, and Caroline and Layla Harris.

Born March 13, 1924 to George Henry Albert Bolt and Ruby Eloise (Benson) Bolt in Montrose, Colorado, she grew up as the daughter of a prominent accountant for the Bureau of Reclamation.  During her childhood, she also lived in Boulder City, Nevada; Los Angeles and Earp, California; Pheonix, Arizona; and Denver, Colorado as her father worked on reclamation projects across the West.

She married Carl Harris, who was a machinist, on October 20, 1941 and gave birth to Jerry on October 26, 1942.  Carl went into military service April 29, 1944, and died in the line of duty as part of the 62nd Infantry Battalion, 14th Armoured Division on March 21, 1945 in Lorraine, France during World War II.

She married Carl Wiebe December 6, 1952 in Denver.  Betty gave birth to Alan August 2, 1954, who died four hours later.  Carl died in an auto accident.  She worked for the Bureau of Mines as a personnel assistant there in Denver from October 1959 until two days after she married Earl on February 5, 1963.  Their marriage was short-lived because he passed away October 4, 1963 during surgery.  Betty started working again for the Bureau ten days later until she transferred in 1978.  At that time she and her widowed mother Eloise moved to Gardiner, Montana to live next door to her sister May and May’s husband.  Betty worked for the National Park Service in Yellowstone National Park in the same position until she retired in 1986.  Betty continued to live in Gardiner after her mother passed away in 1992.  In 1995 she met her long-lost cousin Calvin Smith, who had been adopted about the time she was born.  Her son Jerry passed away in 1998.  In 2005 because of dementia it was necessary for her to live at the nursing home in Livingston, Montana where she spent the remainder of her life.

Betty had acute interests in rocks, gardening, music, and her cats, and was an accomplished typist and stenographer.  She enjoyed a social lifestyle, and held deep Christian roots.  We will all miss her charming personality.

Many thanks from Betty’s family are given to Gardiner Baptist Church, Rocky Mountain Hospice, Livingston Health and Rehabilitation Center, and Dahl Funeral Home. A memorial service for Betty will be held March 29 at 2:00 pm at the Gardiner Baptist Church.

Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.dahlcares.com.