Elizabeth Betty Rose

Elizabeth (Betty) Thurber was born to Katye Elizabeth (Abernethy) Thurber and her husband, Elmer Shirley Thurber, while he was in the Coral Gables, Florida area building homes as a carpenter. She soon moved with her family to Gastonia, North Carolina, and later to Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Betty had an older brother (Jack Abernethy Thurber), two younger sisters (Marjorie Lee (Thurber) Harris and Flora Mae Thurber) and a younger brother (Elmer Shirley Thurber).

Betty grew up in a Christian home where her father was gone much of the time doing construction work all over the United States (from Fort Lauderdale, FL, to Pomona, CA, to Anchorage, Alaska) including work on the Hoover Dam between Arizona and Nevada. She graduated from Tolman High School in Pawtucket, RI, and went to work at the Kaiser Shipyard in Providence, RI, as an electrician's helper during World War II. In 1945 she moved to Long Beach, CA, with her friend Nellie and worked at the Consolidated Steel Shipyard in Wilmington, CA. It was while working at Consolidated Steel that she met an electrician, Sylvan Kent Rose, and they later got married on June 20, 1946.

Betty and Sylvan moved into a small house in Compton, CA, and had their first daughter (Janice Sue (Rose) Winn) on March 31, 1950, followed by two more daughters (Sandra Lynn (Rose) Tague on January 2, 1952 and Peggy Jean (Rose) Rogers) on November 19, 1953) and two sons (Bradley Kent Rose on May 15, 1956 and Scott Douglas Rose on October 8, 1962). Sylvan and Betty moved to a larger house in North Long Beach, CA, as their family grew and this became the family home as they raised all of their children.

Betty always had a strong personality and ensured that her family attended church and focused on education, respect and family. Growing up in this family of seven there was never a doubt that you belonged and were loved. However, there were also responsibilities and rules that needed to be followed. Betty was the driving force behind all of this and provided a home environment of fun and togetherness that was focused on character growth. As a result all five children became strong responsible Christians who in turn established solid Christian homes for their families.

After raising their children, Sylvan was able to retire from the IBEW as a long term journeyman electrician on June 14, 1982. Betty and Sylvan were then able to spend many years together with family and friends doing church and community activities, camping around the United States and travelling the world on tours and cruises. They always had a great love for each other and spent all the time they could with their children and grandchildren. However, Betty's lifelong partner died on July 8, 1997, after fighting a long battle with cancer. She was devastated by this loss, but made immediate changes to establish a new life that was still focused on God, family and friends. She continued to make a significant impact on all her loved ones for the remaining nineteen years of her life.

Betty went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, after complications from an infection. She was at her board and care home, with family at her side as she passed into eternity. She will always be remembered as a strong Godly woman, devoted wife and loving sister, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.