Betty Gee Obituary

Betty Jean Gee, 91, passed away Christmas Eve, 2014 at her foster home in Ashland, Ore. She was born to Andrew Guthrie Johnson and Frances Lesta Sherrill June 6, 1923, in Cisco, Texas.

Although she was raised near Hurley, N.M., Betty received nurse's training at Denver General Hospital and worked at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center as an RN until the end of WWII. She had two unsuccessful marriages, to Archibald Allen and Robert Gee, but she successfully raised her three children as a single mom.

Because it was compatible with her young children's school schedules, she worked as a school nurse with the Denver Public Schools for over 10 years. She returned to college in 1966, completed her B.S. in Nursing from Loretta Heights College in 1968, and her M.S. in Public Health from the University of Colorado in 1970. Afterwards she moved to Galveston, Texas to teach at the University of Texas Nursing School.

Betty moved to Ashland, Ore. in 1975 and taught public health nursing at SOSC School of Nursing until she retired in 1988. She was loved by her students and she encouraged them to either become excellent nurses or to continue their nursing careers. In 1989 she was selected to represent Oregon for the American Nurses Association Search for Excellence Award. Betty enjoyed traveling and while she taught at SOSC she had a most enjoyable sabbatical, moving to Bethel, Alaska for three years to help deliver health care to villages that were so remote, she could only get to them by bush plane.

Betty was also active in improving the public health of the community that she lived in and loved. She served on boards of many local agencies, including Jackson and Josephine County Health Planning Councils and Head Start, and she worked for the Combined Emergency Resources Vital Services for Indigent and Gleaning Care Project.

Betty was the last living member of her immediate family. She was predeceased by her parents; sisters, Hazel Marie, Frances Andrea, Myra Joy, and Shirley Maureen; and brothers, Aiken Loy and Robert Guthrie. Betty is survived by three children, Donald Gee (Carol) of Tucson, Ariz., Sandra Jones of Aurora, Colo., and John Gee (Gloria) of Enumclaw, Wash.; and many nieces and nephews, including Barbara Fleeger (John) of Talent. She is also survived by eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank Lolita Bell and everyone at Bell's Adult Foster Home, for the excellent care Betty received during her last few years. Betty requested that donations be made in her name to the Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing, Ashland Campus ​c/o the OHSU Foundation, 1121 S.W. Salmon St. Suite 100, Portland, Oregon 97205.