TUCSON, Ariz. — Betty Lu Woods, 91, with family by her side at her Tucson, Arizona. home, went to be with her eternal Lord, Sunday, March 7, 2021. She was preceded in death by her husband, Fredrick, in 2017. Betty Lu was born Sept. 8, 1929, in Rochelle, just before the start of the Great Depression.

She was the daughter of Winfred H. (Jack) and Gertrude M. “Trudee” Sexton, nee Gregory, who preceded her in death — Trudee in 1976, and Jack in 1978. As an only child, she was doted on by her many aunts and uncles in Rochelle, as well as her grandparents in southern Illinois. Except for Jack’s short Del Monte cannery job transfer to Poynette, Wis., Betty Lu primarily attended Rochelle schools and graduated from RTHS in 1947.

She started her secondary education at Northern Illinois University, and subsequently attended the McConnell Airline School in Minneapolis.

She was awarded a job as an airline stewardess with the newly- formed Frontier Airlines, flying on DC3’s all over the Rocky Mountain region out of Denver. It was there that she met her husband, Fredrick Gene Woods, who was employed by the Gates Rubber Co.

They were married in her hometown of Rochelle on Jan. 24, 1953. A son, Michael Harold, in 1953 and a daughter, Martha Sue, in 1955, were both born in Denver. In 1957, Fred took a job with General Electric in Dekalb, which allowed them to be closer to Betty Lu’s parents. Two more children followed, James Brandon in 1959, and Mary Elizabeth in 1961.

Betty Lu was a homemaker during this period, but was very active in school, church and scouting activities. In 1967, Fred received a promotion at GE, and the family moved to Brookfield, Wisconsin.

Betty Lu was very active in General Electric social circles, bridge club and ceramics. Several summers were spent at a friend’s cabin on Big Green Lake, Wis. Also, there were many road trips to Rochelle to visit Grandpa and Grandma Sexton, as well as annual train trips to visit Fred’s folks in Topeka, Kansas.

After the kids reached college age, Betty entered a partnership running a resale shop in Milwaukee. Nearing retirement, Fred and Betty Lu purchased a mountain cabin near Bailey, Colorado.

Many a summer were spent enjoying the beautiful Rocky Mountains, while entertaining friends and family. Later, they purchased a winter home in Tucson, where Betty Lu’s extended family now lived.

Betty and Fred traveled extensively during their retirement years. They enjoyed ocean cruises and automobile trips all over the United States and Canada. Some of their other destinations included Mexico, Costa Rica, Ireland, Germany, China and Thailand.

Betty Lu loved jewelry, antiques, art, books, birding, old movies and was an avid genealogist.

She treasured her family history and photographs. Tucson residents may remember Betty Lu from her many years volunteering as a greeter at the annual Gem show. That was where she really shined.

Sunny afternoons were always a time to enjoy a glass of wine on the Bailey porch or the Tucson patio with friends or family.

Betty Lu had a particular knack for making deep and lifelong friendships, many of them spouses of Fred’s GE coworkers. Conversation skill and conviviality was her trademark. She lost these close friends over the years — Sammy Jones, Judy Gautsch, Nancy Antrim, Dorothy Mackenzie and Nancy Maxon. They were all truly considered members of the Woods family, and it’s a testament to her optimistic outlook on life, that she had the strength to keep on living after these devastating losses.

Betty Lu is survived by her son, Michael (Anna) of Tucson, daughter, Martha (Mark) Creger of Tucson, son, James (Katherine) of Topeka, Kansas, daughter, Mary Beth (John )Schmitt of Phoenix; eight grandchildren, Matthew, Harrison, Alyssa, Chelsea, Marie, Jackson, Rebecca and James; and two great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Mary (Woods) Bradley of Denver; nieces, Lissa (Robert) Albertson of Clovis, California, and Linda (Price) Berryman of Denver; Aunt Verna Woolever of Goodfield; cousins, Pamela Helms Bauer of Rochelle, Robert Helms of Sycamore, Laura Bradford of Rochelle, Nancy Shelton of Aurora, Colorado, Jean Helms, of Littleton, Colorado, Kay Manring of Rockford, Alice Faye of Clarksville, Tennessee, Debbie Belmonte, Bea Carter, Deanna Carter, both of Tucson, and Beverly Crawford of Indianapolis and numerous other cousins. Most importantly, her lifelong friend and unofficially adopted sister, Sue Felker, also of Rochelle.

Betty Lu was cremated. She will be interred with her husband, when weather permits, at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Betty Lu can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601-7633 or at ALZ.org.