Steve Bettencourt

Steve was born on January 14, 1954 to Don and LaVerne Bettencourt in Hanford, California where he spent his life dedicated to his family and to the farm. As a boy, Steve went to Pioneer Elementary School; he graduated from Hanford High School. Steve married his high school sweetheart, Diane Eaton, in 1973. Steve and Diane spent over 48 years together and raised their two sons, Josh and Jacob on their family ranch.

From a very early age, Steve learned to farm from his grandfather, M.S. Simas. After M.S. passed, Steve found another strong mentor in his father, Don, and the two of them worked side by side as partners for decades. Although the days were long, the years were short for Don and Steve, and the seasons seemed to fly by as they poured their souls into the land.

When he wasn’t tending the farm, Steve found time to enjoy some of his other passions. He loved everything racing, whether it was watching NASCAR races, going to the Indy 500, or racing his 4B sprint car. Steve spent many wild nights at the racetrack celebrating victories or commiserating losses with his family and friends. As time went on, Steve enjoyed a slower pace of life. He loved spending weekends at the beach with Diane, barbecuing for his family, and driving around the ranch with his beloved dog, Pawley. Above all, Steve was happy just being at home with his family and welcomed anyone who walked through his back door. He took great pride in his two sons and loved watching them build families of their own. He adored his granddaughter, Ella, and he shared his love for animals with her. Steve gave Ella her very own puppy, and Ella gave Steve her chicken, Hennie.

Steve is survived by his wife Diane, his children Josh (Maya) and Jacob (Kacey), his granddaughter Ella, his mother LaVerne, his sisters Cheryl Silva (Mike) and Kathie Thomas (Mike), as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Don, in 2020, his grandparents M.S. and Lena Simas, and Frank and Josie Bettencourt. He will be incredibly missed by all who knew him and will always lovingly be known simply as “B.”

Due to the pandemic, a celebration of life will be held in the near future with limited attendance. Please consider remembering and celebrating Steve’s life by making a gift to Paws & Claws Fundraising, Hanford, CA or Kings SPCA, Lemoore, CA.