East County News Service
June 6, 2017 (Lemon Grove) - Long-time Lemon Grove resident Betty White passed away peacefully on May 14, 2017. Betty was born on October 17, 1930, in Charleston, South Carolina to Eva Mae Clark (Smith) and Omer Clark, who was in the U.S. Army. Betty was one of five Clark children: Helen, Richard (Dick), Betty, Eva May and James (Jim). The family eventually settled back in San Diego after living in several places including Panama. Betty graduated from Hoover High School in San Diego in 1948 and then studied nursing at San Diego State College (now SDSU).
She married Richard Williamson in 1950 in Klamath Falls, Ore., where she worked as a hospital nurse. In 1957 Betty had her first child, Mary Kay, and Nancy followed in 1961. Betty remarried in 1965 to Elbert Louis White (Louie) and relocated to San Diego. They had twins, Robert and Roberta, in 1967.
Betty and her family made Lemon Grove their home shortly thereafter and the four children were raised in the same house for the remainder of their childhood, attending Mt. Vernon and San Miguel Elementary schools, Lemon Grove Junior High and Mount Miguel and Helix High Schools. Betty was involved in Lemon Grove PTA, Bobby Sox, Girl Scouts and the VFW, where she made many longtime friends.
In 1998 Betty moved from Lemon Grove to Alpine with her daughter Roberta and her family. At the time of her passing and since January 2017 she was a resident at the Bradley Court Convalescent Home in El Cajon. She was preceded in death by her Husband Elbert and her brothers Richard "Dick" Clark (WWII) and James Clark.
Betty is survived by her sisters Helen Allen (AZ) and Eva May Turner (WA); her children Kaye Quinne, Nancy Weeks, Robert White and Roberta Olin; her grandchildren Bonnie Regalado, Josephine Olmos, Robert Mathews, Joseph Mathews, Alena Adams, Kurtis Olin and Kyle Olin; and her great grandchildren Mia Regalado, Kaia Regalado, Noah Mathews, Shea Mathews, and Aiden Mathews. She was loved by many and will be greatly missed.
A celebration of life will be held on July 8, 2017, at 1 p.m. at the Lemon Grove VFW.