Elizabeth Graham
Vaya Con Dios
Elizabeth Ann Little Graham (Betty) passed away peacefully on June 15th, 2024, at her home in Carson City, NV, just 2 weeks after celebrating her 100th birthday surrounded by her friends and family. She even got to check “getting handcuffed” off her bucket list when the local Sheriff stopped by the party! Betty is survived by her children Liz Skogerson (Kent), Nancy Ortiz (Carlos), Sue Graham, Bill Graham and Dee Raya, 10 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. She was affectionately known as G.G. Betty.
Betty’s story began on May 26th, 1924, when she was born in Peabody Massachusetts and spent her childhood in nearby Boxford, MA. Eventually, she moved to California to attend San Diego State and joined the Zalac Rowing Club. Betty always loved being on the water. While in San Diego, she met a strapping Naval sailor named William and they were married on December 25th, 1947. In the intervening years, Betty became a registered Girl Scout Leader and would remain in that position for 50 years, including running a granddaughter’s troop. Betty and her family lived in Florida before relocating back to California and settling in the small village of Ballard in 1968.
After settling in her new home, she became a parishioner at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and went on to join the Alter Guild. She volunteered many hours to beautifully decorating the church for weddings, memorials and Sunday services. Betty was an avid hiker and spent many, many Wednesdays hiking with the Santa Ynez Valley Women Hikers. She even travelled to Switzerland several times to hike with her daughter, Liz. She was active in the Refugio del Cielo chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution and, in addition to hiking, gardening and volunteering at the church, she became a foster mother and took in a number of high school aged girls. Many of those women still consider Betty to be “mom”.
Services will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Saturday July 27th and, in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the church as St. Mark’s meant so much to Betty.