Betty Felice Passes Away
Betty Felice, 85, passed away peacefully at her Cape Cod home on Friday, May 4, 2007.
Betty grew up on a farm in Ashley, Ohio. Her parents were evangelical musicians who traveled often to recite poetry and sing songs. During the periods her parents were on the road, she was raised by her grandparents. When she was old enough, Betty left home for California with little more than the 100 dollars in her pocket.
During a fateful layover in Arizona she fell in love with the "Grand Canyon State" and talked about it all her life. It was here that she first laid eyes on an employment ad in a Phoenix paper. Answering this ad led to a job with Aramco, which in turn led her to a meeting with the man whom she would eventually marry.
The marriage ceremony was performed at the Vatican, and the newlyweds went on to honeymoon in Austria. She and her husband had four children who loved her dearly. Though the marriage ended in divorce, Betty never held any regrets or harbored any feelings of ill will. She was a peacemaker. She never said a bad word about anyone, ever. She'd say, "If you can't say anything nice about someone, don't say anything at all," and she lived by example. She taught her children to be kind to strangers and always to help those less fortunate.
Though her body finally gave out, Betty's spirit was young and vibrant. She had a way of making you feel really special. That is the strength of her love. She was genuinely interested in people.
Betty loved music and dancing. Not surprisingly, her favorite television programs were Dancing with the Stars and American Idol. When these two shows weren't on, the TV stayed on Animal Planet. She was passionate about a great deal more than television, however.
She loved life. She loved the sunshine, the dry heat, and the cactus in bloom. She loved helping her friends and neighbors. She loved to party. She loved adventure. At 62, Betty took a week long raft trip down the Colorado River. When living in Phoenix, she volunteered at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts. She was a talented oil painter who enjoyed making her own cards and thank-you notes. She loved receiving mail and emails, and she kept in touch with everyone. She had many, many friends, and she loved telling them jokes to get a laugh. And boy, did she love her chocolate!