Betty Behrends returned home to our Father in Heaven on Tuesday 23 Aug 2011, a month shy of her 87th birthday; she died peacefully in her sleep at home in St. Maries, with her daughter Jeri at her side. The third of four children, Betty was born 24 Sep 1924 in Supply, Ellis County, Oklahoma to Sidney Walter Mabey and Blanche Irene Wilson Mabey. Escaping the 1930's Oklahoma Dust Bowl, her family moved first to the oil fields of Texas and then to California where her father developed a very successful construction business. During World War II, they lived in Seattle and in Bremerton, Washington, where Betty graduated from high school. Betty married James Clyde Smallwood in 1944, and five children were born to this union: Sidney Irene stillborn, James Keith, Jeffery Wayne, Jeri Lee, and Cydnie Irene. After their divorce, Betty married Behrend Ben Behrends and they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. Betty and Ben had two sons, Douglas Ray and Steven. When Ben became disabled, Betty worked full time. In 1969, after the four older children had left home, Betty and family moved to St. Maries, where Betty landed a job in the engineering/cartography department of the US Forest Service in the Federal Building, a job she held until her retirement in 1985. While working fulltime and caring for her mother and family, Betty served diligently in her callings in the LDS Church, including several years as teacher for early morning seminary and many years in genealogical information indexing. Betty and her mom moved to Wallsburg, Utah, in 1986, and lived with Betty's cousin Irene Tisdale to enable Blanche to be near Blanche's brother and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Upon Blanche's death in 1993, Betty had cared for her mother for 28 years. In 2001 Betty moved back to St. Maries. Betty's home, the center of traditional holiday gatherings, always had an open door to family and friends. Betty's oft-quoted parenting advice was, "Love your children with your arms open wide." Her favorite pastimes included growing roses, gardening, genealogical research, reading, cryptograms, Scrabble, Rummikub, Free Cell, and quilting. Betty is survived by her children, 21 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Arthur, Jackie, and Sidney Walter Mabey, Jr. "Skip", her grandchildren Holly, Mark, and Nathan, and great granddaughters Chelsea Marie and Cassandra. Knowing these family members welcomed her arrival on the other side has brought considerable comfort to those who are missing her here. At her request, there will be no services.
