Betty Harrison Tietjen

Betty Jane Kline Harrison Tietjen was born in Granger, IN, the fifth of eleven children born to Smith and Carolyn (Cairie) Kline. Her family moved many times to different states during her childhood as her father looked for work as a farmer and skilled builder during The Great Depression Era to support his growing family. They finally moved west, settling in the Santa Clara Valley in the 1930’s.

Betty was a member of the first class to graduate from Lincoln High School in San Jose, CA, in 1943 and went on to San Jose State College. She left college to join the Navy Waves, becoming a Wave recruiter, a yeoman and finally doing Naval personnel work. She married Warren McKenzie Harrison (USN) in 1945 in San Francisco where they were both stationed; she left the Navy when the war ended. Betty became a full-time homemaker, raising four children during the ensuing years often while packing up the household to move,remodel, buy and sell homes as she went. She took great pride in her homes, her family, her sewing abilities and gardening.

In 1975, after she obtained an AA degree from Cabrillo College, she and Warren divorced and she set about establishing her own career in real estate. First as an agent for Beth Metzger Realty in Aptos,then as a broker and finally as one of the first women to become a certified property manager in the US. She moved from her home in Aptos, CA to Fresno to be closer to family in 1978.

Betty met Max Tietjen at their church, Peace Lutheran, in Fresno. They married on May 6, 1995 and Betty returned to being a full-time homemaker devoting her days to making Max comfortable and keeping him well fed. After many happy years together enjoying life as retirees Max died on October 5, 2016. Many months later Betty decided that she could embrace the lifestyle without the responsibilities of home ownership offered in a retirement community so she moved first into Kingston Bay and finally into the Windham in Fresno, CA, where she spent her final years.

Betty was predeceased by her husband of 20 years, Maximilian C. Tietjen, son-in-law Larry Hagopian, her parents Smith and Carolyn Kline, and nine of her siblings. She is survived by her youngest brother Richard Kline (Joyce), her daughter Blythe Hagopian, her son Thomas W. Harrison (Charlene), her daughter Martha Johns (Dave) and her daughter Nancy Colonica. She also leaves her granddaughters Desiree and Rachael, step-grandchildren Matt and Erin, and six great-grandchildren in addition to a large extended family.

Graveside services will be held at Clovis Cemetery; 305 N Villa Ave, Clovis, CA on Thursday, February 2, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

Memorial services will be held at Peace Lutheran Church; 4672 N Cedar Ave, Fresno, CA on Thursday, February 2, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitehurstsullivan.com for the Tietjen family.