Betty Lou Ann Henderson Obituary (1929

Betty Lou Ann Greeson Mann Henderson, 89, peacefully passed away on Sunday, July 1, 2018, in Provo, Utah. Betty was born in Oklahoma City, OK. on March 18, 1929, to Vivian Minnick Greeson and Raymond Greeson. Betty was their second child. Her older brother, Billy Ray, preceded her in death. Betty lived on a farm with her grandparents during her childhood years. Her mother sent her to kindergarten when she was only three, but was sent home for being “a mite young.” The next year, she began school and was a rapid learner, a trait she displayed throughout her life. As a young teenager, Betty enjoyed many things involving movement including swimming, skating, and dancing. She married Clark Mann in 1947, in Reno, NV. They moved to California raising their family first in Palo Alto then in Los Altos. As a young couple, they began their legacy welcoming four children into their home. Betty referred to Clark as the “better parent” and she as the realist. She said she was better at getting them to bed, mostly because she wanted time to read. She sewed the children’s clothes and enjoyed creating new patterns. After the children were grown, she also enjoyed quilting and doll making. In 1957, Betty was the recipient of the Belle Haven PTA Honorary Life Membership award. A newspaper article said of Betty: “A good neighbor, a good mother, an excellent seamstress and an exceptionally willing PTA worker, Mrs. Mann is indeed an ideal selection for this award. She has worked tirelessly for five years in the PTA and devoted herself to its advancement. Her PTA activities were extended to work in the 17th District California Congress of Parents and Teachers. She is also a voter registrar for San Mateo County. With all, Mrs. Mann’s home life has not been neglected, for she has not only been a devoted mother, but is noted for her excellent housekeeping.” Although Betty did not have a college diploma of her own, she was a staunch believer in lifelong learning. She was an avid reader and placed a high value on education. Betty was proud of her “smart shelf”; her children and grandchildren traditionally gave her a copy of their diplomas from any graduation. Her knowledge and research abilities opened many doors for her. She worked at Stanford Research Institute where she started in the secretary pool and quickly moved into an executive secretary role, ultimately for the president of the institution. She later worked for Dynapol, a chemical research company, becoming an expert on typing and formatting chemical equations and models before computers were available to do such work. In the 1980’s Betty’s final professional position was at Advanced Information and Decisions Systems (AIDS) a company on the cutting edge of the computer industry in the Silicon Valley where she was again employed as an executive secretary. Betty served in the primary organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in several positions. As she was not a member of the church at this time, she was unable to teach, but she was asked to be an assistant. She called this “a sneaky way to fellowship.” After she joined the church in 1973, she served as a seminary teacher and Relief Society president. Many other callings were issued which she accepted and magnified. Betty has a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and was so happy that just one week prior to her death she was able to have her stake president sign her temple recommend. Betty was widowed in 1972 and later married William Henderson in 1975. They enjoyed traveling especially to their cabin in Montana, going on cruises, and attending theatre events. Bill and Betty lived in California for about 15 years and then moved to Provo to be closer to extended family. It was here that children and grandchildren were able to visit often. Bill preceded Betty in death on June 29, 2008. She is survived by four children: William, (Diana); Nancy, (Michael Hill); Christopher, (Barbara); and Elizabeth, (Jeffrey Keele) and a stepdaughter, Melody (Gary Taylor). Besides her children, Betty is survived by 24 grandchildren and 55 great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, July 5, 2018 at the Grandview 9th Ward, 1555 North 1350 West, Provo, Utah. A viewing will precede the service from 9-9:45 a.m. Interment, Bountiful City Cemetery. The family would like to thank Betty's neighbors, friends, the staff at Legacy Village, Dr. Ngatuvai and especially her daughter Nancy for all her loving care. Condolences may be submitted on the Berg Mortuary site (www.bergmortuary.com) in Provo, Utah.