Life Tributes for the week of 12/18/19

Betty Lee Bettis

Betty passed away earlier this year (2019) at the assisted living facility, where she resided in Oroville, with family by her side.

Betty was born to Archie (Tex) Bigby and Ruth Bigby in Grafton, West Virginia, on Dec. 27, 1924. She and her family moved to California in 1930, settling in Greenville in 1931, where she and her siblings grew up.

She met the love of her life when she was 12-years-old, when her older brother brought his new friend (Dow Bettis) home to meet the family. She told her best friend he was the one she was going to marry and she did 5 1/2 years later in 1942. They were married for 46 years, until he passed away in 1988. But she loved him for another 31 years.

In early 1943, they moved to Richmond to work in the shipyards where Betty was a welder, working on the new battleships for the war effort. Then Betty and Dow moved back to Quincy in 1946 when he was discharged from the U.S. Army. The family moved back to Greenville in 1952, due to Dow’s employment. They lived there until 1964, when his sawmill employment required the family to return to Quincy in 1964. Betty remained in Quincy, until her health lead her to move to Oroville in 2013.

During the years, Betty was very involved in her daughters’ and granddaughters’ activities. She was a room mother, a PTA member and Brownie, Girl Scout and 4-H leader. She belonged for several years to the Rebecca’s’, was a lifetime member of Eastern Star and active in Rainbow Girls organization for many years. She volunteered as a hospital Pink Lady, worked with the Life Skills program and helped adults learn to read through the literacy program. She was an excellent artist, worked on scenery for local plays that she also acted in. She also worked on fundraising committees wherever she lived.

Betty is survived by her daughter, Dowanna Chisholm, of Bangor, her daughter and son-in-law, Rhonda and Ken Nelson, of Quincy and granddaughter, Rachel Stuart, of Seattle, Washington. She also has numerous nieces, nephews and great- and grand- nieces and nephews in California, Idaho and Texas.

Betty loved her family and four-legged fur babies very much and was a very proud and patriotic American, who loved her country. She will be greatly missed. Betty requested no services be held.

Marcia Lynn Galuski

Marcia was an example of a life well lived. She was beautiful in spirit. Her true beauty came forth even when her life progressed into being a quadriplegic. Always a smile. Always hopeful.

Her life, always dependent on others yet that did not stop her from giving to those that she depended on. She loved the EPHC nurses and CNAs. EPHC was her home. She loved to play bingo and cribbage. She loved to watch TV and critique movies like Siskel and Ebert.

Marcia was born in Binghamton, New York, on July 7, 1956, to parents Joyce Irene Pelletier Galuski and John Joseph Galuski.

She is survived by three siblings, Gail Irene Geriak of Stamford, Connecticut, Mimi Garner Bates, of Delleker, and Micheal John Galuski, of Leesburg, Virginia; and six nieces and nephews.

She passed away on Dec. 4, 2019, at the age of 63.

Our dad was a Navy man in youth and a 40-year executive at IBM. Mom and Dad were high school sweethearts and married young. Dad’s job — “I’m Being Moved” (IBM) — moved the family many, many times from Syracuse, New York, to Oswego, New York (1952), to Santa Monica (1962), back to Oswego (1964), then to Stamford, Connecticut (1966), where we dropped off sister Gail who got married and had three kids, next on to Reston, Virginia (1973), where Marcia graduated high school and brother Micheal married his high school sweetheart, then on to San Jose, (1975) where Mimi got married and Marcia got a fashion merchandising degree and became a model, next on to Morgan Hill (1970) and Hollister (1982) where mom and Marcia opened two dress shops. When dad died in 1997, mother and Marcia moved to Southport, North Carolina (1998), to unite with friends of widowed IBMers and Marcia lived in her own apartment. Sister Mimi brought Marcia to Plumas County in late 2011.

Relocating to Portola did not get Marcia down. She loved the caregivers and nursing staff at the Eastern Plumas Health Care facility. She made friends easily. She is a testament to the human spirit that lives within each of us. Her favorite past times included playing Bingo, gambling in Reno, Nevada, movies at the Portola Library, music in the park and driving her hepped-up cherry-red wheelchair, which she drove with a joystick using her mouth.

A memorial service and gathering will be held at the EPHC resident living room after the new year. Rather than send flowers, Marcia would like for you to make a donation in her name to Social Activities at EPHC-SNF, care of Julie Adami, EPHC, 500 First Street, Portola, CA 96122. Condolences can be sent to her sister, Mimi Garner-Bates, Box 2354, Portola, CA 96122.

Brian Gage

Brian Gage passed away on Nov. 7, 2019, at the age of 84. He was a 30-year resident of Quincy and a retired teacher of horticulture.

Brian was precededin death by his beloved wife, Ellen and leaves behind four children: Steven, Brian, Tom, and Heather, along with seven grandchildren.

Family and friends are invited to gather at the Quincy Vets Hall on Sunday, Jan. 5, from 2 – 4 p.m. to share pie and memories in honor of his life.

Harold (Hal) Reed Martin

On the morning of Nov. 5, 2019, Harold (Hal) Reed Martin passed away surrounded by his family at the Carson-Tahoe Hospital in Carson City, Nevada. He was 76 years old.

He was born to Earl Johnson and Elsie Mae Brown in Madera on July 1, 1943, and was raised on the Shein Dairy Ranch as the youngest of eight children.

After graduating from high school, Hal moved to Hawaii to live with his brother Richard and began working at the Longs Drugs store on Sept. 13, 1962, in Oahu, Hawaii. This was the start of a life-long career with Longs Drugs. In 1977, he became the store manager of Longs Drugs #114 in Cupertino and worked there until his retirement in 2003. Hal loved his Longs Family and was known by the nicknames “Cowboy” and “Uncle Hal.”

  He is survived by his beloved wife, Judy Anne Hoegerman Martin, with whom he shared a very special bond during their 43 years together. Their love will always remain “Evergreen.” He is also survived by his five children, Suzanne (Wade) Peterson, of Reno, Nevada, Chris (Monica) Martin, of Dallas, Texas, Jamie (David) Routt, of Reno, Nevada, Jayson (Timea) Frye, of Dayton, Nevada, and Jeff (Ale) Martin, of Reno, Nevada. He was the proud grandfather of fourteen and great-grandfather of one. Also, surviving is his brother, Donald Martin, of Visalia.

Hal loved his family and the water, which laid the groundwork for his family to spend yearly summer vacations camping, boating and fishing. Upon his retirement, he settled into his “Happy Place” on the shores of Lake Almanor West in the mountain home that he always dreamed of and designed. He loved boating, fishing, gardening, and woodworking in his workshop but most of all he enjoyed spending each day with the love of his life. He was a member of the Elks Lodge #2626 in Chester and embraced serving as a volunteer with the Lake Almanor West Fire Department.

A memorial service will be held at the Elks Lodge in Chester on Jan. 4, 2020, at 11 a.m., with a reception following.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Elks Lodge #2626 in Chester or the Lake Almanor West Fire Department.