Elizabeth Jean Hall

Betty Jean was born on February 16, 1926, in Butte, Montana, to Catherine and Frank Gray. She had a great 90th birthday party on February 16th, and passed on February 18th. We were grateful that so many of her friends were able to visit with her on her birthday.

Betty spent 14 years in Butte living with her parents and, they separated, living with her mother, grandmother and brother in a small house. She and her mother moved to San Diego in 1940, following her brother, Robert, as he served in the Navy. She graduated from Hoover High School, and held a variety of jobs, including switchboard operator and secretarial duties after high school.

During this time, Betty was taking singing lessons, with a goal of becoming a light opera performer. Her second passion was dancing. She spent as many evenings and weekends as possible dancing with the servicemen at USO, sponsored events. At the USO, she danced to most of the big names in big bands of the time. She was very proud that several of the band leaders came down and danced with her. Her face would light up whenever she remembered those days.

Betty met Joe Hall in 1947, while he was a delivery man. They fell in love and mother gave up her light opera studies to be married. They had three children – Kathleen, David and Sharon – and raised them in National City.

Mother was a successful owner of her own business. She started Betty Jean’s Multi-Copy in her garage, printing bulletins on a ditto machine. When that endeavor became successful and outgrew the garage, the business moved to a store front on Highland Avenue in National City. Where she advanced to using a mimeograph machine and typewriters. The business continued to grow, and she was able to invest in an offset press and other printing equipment. Her specialty was printing bulletins and yearbooks for local clubs and fraternal groups. She was one of the fastest typists we knew of, and all of the kids, and grandkids, had the opportunity to help in the shop.

Outside of her business, Betty made many friends through the years, and was active in Eastern Star, Altrusa, Pythian Sisters, and Rainbow Girls, where she served as Mother Adviser to the Rainbow Assembly for many years. She joined First Congregational Church and was a continuous member for 40 years, singing in the choir and serving on the various boards of the church.

Betty is survived by her children, Kathleen (husband Robert Mars), David Hall, and Sharon Hall (partner Tom Zimberlin), her grandchildren Carole Mars, Aaron Mars and his wife Elizabeth, and her soon-to-be-born great granddaughter. We will miss her terribly, but know that she is so much happier now, and is probably dancing in heaven.

A memorial service will be held on February 27, 2016, 12 Noon, at the First Congregational Church, 835 E. 16th Street, National City, CA 91950. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, 6155 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 220, San Diego, CA 92121.

.