Betty Lou Mensing

Betty Lou Mensing, 90, of Paso Robles, Calif., died peacefully in her sleep on June 8, 2019, at Vineyard Hills Health Center in Templeton, Calif. She was born to Earl W. Smith and Pearl R. (Schuetz) Smith on January 20, 1929, in Maple Hill, Kansas.

During the Great Depression, her parents moved the family to Bakersfield, Calif. From there they moved to Yakima, Wash. and then to the Santa Clara Valley, Calif. After High School, she moved around with her sisters, living in Las Vegas and Spokane, Wash. She started her family in Spokane. While there she worked in different restaurants to supplement the family income. Along with her husband, Reverend Gerard (Jerry) Mensing, they moved the family to Sunnyvale, Calif. in the '60s where they worked for her mother in Menlo Park at Howatt's Drive-In. From there she and Jerry bought a restaurant in Los Altos “The Old Station House”. They sold the restaurant when Jerry accepted a Call to Atascadero to be the Pastor at The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. Being a Pastor's wife kept her very busy besides working at various jobs in the community. She enjoyed working at Labelcraft in Atascadero, Lochhead Manufacturing in Paso Robles, Licketysplit Ice Cream in Paso Robles, The Apple Farm, and Linn's Fruit Bin. After her paid working days were finished, she volunteered her time between the Paso Robles City Library gift shop and the Atascadero City Zoo gift shop.

Betty loved to travel. She and Jerry traveled as much as their scheduled allowed. She was also known by her Oakland/L.A. Raiders black and silver fingernails. During baseball season, the Oakland A’s was her team.

Betty was predeceased by her loving husband Jerry. She was also predeceased by her two son's Josef F. Mensing and Daniel L. Mensing, two brothers Joseph A. Smith and David Paul Smith and two sisters Rose Maria Roberts and Caroline P. Pratt.

Betty is survived by her children Sandy J. Broader (John), Frederick E. Mensing (Patricia), Christine A. Pankey (Kimo), Susan E. Thompson (Kent), Timothy L. Mensing (Darla) and Xena C. Wickliffe (Eric), 28 grandkids, 40 great-grandkids and eight great-great-grandkids. She is also survived by her two sisters Earldine Joyce Tostenson and Jeanann R. May (John C.) as well as many nieces and nephews.

Betty Lou was a lifelong Lutheran. She knew and accepted Christ of the Bible as her personal Savior and trusted only in Him for her salvation. She always made the point to her children that we were saved by God's grace and it is by that grace she has been saved as well.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atascadero, Calif. on Aug. 3 at 10 a.m.

For more information, please contact Fred at: Komantsi47@hotmail.com.

In Lieu of flowers donations can be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, Handbell Choir Paso Robles, CA