Mount Vernon — Betty Jeanne Randall died on June 5, 2013 at home with family in Alexandria after a valiant, short battle with cancer. Born in Los Angeles (’41), she graduated from South Pasadena High School with honors and Mount St. Mary’s College with honors. Being driven, as she was, she finished college in 3 and a half years with a degree in English (’63).
Among the many organizations she belonged to throughout her life, she was a beloved member of Kappa Gamma Sorority at the Mount. Betty Jeanne met the love of her life, Michael W. Randall at a Fraternity/Sorority mixer in which Michael has said, “He saw a really attractive girl flittering about and had his good friend introduce him to her.” They were inseparable after that, marrying in a beautiful, elegant wedding in 1963.
For many years Betty was a busy mother, and an Air Force officer’s wife but she was involved in much more. Betty was also known for her church and charitable support. While they were stationed in Dayton, Ohio, she hand made more than 1,000 Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls for the top selling booth at the local Children’s Hospital Annual Christmas Bazaar, three years running. Later, in Alexandria, her Oriental food booth was the top revenue maker for several years in support of Good Shepherd Catholic Church’s Labor Day annual International Festival.
Always active and talented, whether it be sewing, knitting, quilting, gardening, bowling, singing in the church folk choir in Japan, or hosting her annual Christmas party for friends and neighbors, Betty would be found at the center of “what was going on.” She had many, many friends and was very generous with herself, time and what she could do to help someone. Such little things gave Betty so much joy, whether it was Neil Diamond, her cats, or taking the time to buy, organize and label her grandchildren’s school supplies every year, not only for them but for many other children in need as well.
Additionally and just as importantly, she worked for more than a decade for the The Washington Post in advertising, in which she took great pride. After retiring from the paper, she became a successful licensed Realtor with Mount Vernon Realty.
Betty is survived by her three children, Jeanne Marie (Paul) of Los Angeles, Calif., William Kyle of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Michele Genevieve of Leesburg, Va.; nine grandchildren, Kylah, Genevieve, Elizabeth, Lilliana, Jared-Patric, Derek-Paul, Holly-Anne, Ava-Grace, Colin-Michael and one great-grandchild, Ashlynn. A memorial/celebration of life service will be held (with a reception to follow) on Aug. 9, 2013, 10:30 a.m., at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Alexandria. In October 2013 her ashes will be returned to her “home” California, and the ocean, with family and friends in attendance.