Betty Loofbourrow

A Graveside Service for Betty Lee Loofbourrow (Little), will be held on Friday, May 6, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at Paradise Cemetery. She was born on July 30, 1922 to Lee J. and Laura Bess Little in Leon, Iowa. She passed away on April 30, 2011, in Chico, after spending the past several years in the kind and loving care of Chico Rehabilitation Hospital. The family moved to Paradise when "Shorty" was a young child. Betty attended Paradise elementary and Chico high Schools. Her father, brother, husband, and nephew were all involved in the newspaper /printing business. She met William H. Loofbourrow during World War II, when she worked for him as an attendant in a gas station he managed. They married soon after and moved many times to several states during the first years of marriage. The family, now including two sons, finally settled in Durham in 1954, where she remained for over 40 years. Betty was happy to be a housewife and mother, hauling the boys and their friends everywhere: movies, swimming, and sporting events. She later worked at various places, including the Durham Economy Store, Brayton's Hallmark, Raleys Supermarket and the US Postal Service rural delivery. In their later years, Betty and Bill enjoyed fishing and camping with their dogs, especially along Deer Creek. She was an expert fly fisherman (she would not like to be called a fisherwoman or fisherperson!). Betty was a gifted artist, avid gardener, bowler, swimmer, great cook. She produced many beautiful watercolor paintings depicting her beloved mountains, birds and ocean scenes. She had a soft spot for all things Mother Nature, especially flowers, birds and animals. Betty is survived by her sons, Joel (Gail), who resides in Hawaii, and Michael (Lynne) of Chico; her grandchildren, Bradley (Jill) Loofbourrow of Pinole, Jodi (Greg) Biklian of Clovis, James (Christina) Loofbourrow of Chico, and Viki (Kae) Saechao of Chico, as well as several great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations can be made in her memory to S.P.C.A. Arrangements are under the direction of Brusie Funeral Home.