Betty J. Doolittle (1918-2002)

DOOLITTLE

Posted By: Padriag (email)
Date: 3/12/2008 at 09:46:11

In Memory: Betty Jean (Dool) Doolittle
(August 31, 1918 - March 13, 2002)

A graveside committal was held for Betty Jean (Dool) Doolittle at the Carson Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. on April 30, 2003, officiated by the Rev. Dr. Judy Flanegin of Hancock and Silver Creek United Methodist Churches.

Betty passed away suddenly in Des Moines, March 13, 2002 of a heart attack and had prearranged to have her body donated to the Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center. The family had recently received the cremains for returning to the earth.

Betty Jean (Dool) Doolittle was born in rural Hancock and graduated from Hancock High School in 1936. She was a graduate of Simpson College in Indianola in the class of 1940 and had lived in the Des Moines area for 59 years.

She had taught English and literature at Johnston High School for thirty years before retirement. Up until her death, she was extremely active at the West Des Moines United Methodist Church where she was a member and active in the bell choir and women's group; she volunteered at Bidwell Riverside Center, helping the less fortunate and at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center delivering flowers every other Saturday.

Betty had a fantastic memory and was known as the family historian. She was an extraordinarily thoughtful person, an excellent cook and an over-achiever. Betty Doolittle and husband Joe, from Carson, were married for over 63 years.

Mrs. Doolittle was preceded in death by sister Madelyn (Dool) Brown.

She is survived by husband Joe, Des Moines; three children: Barbara Dudey of Lapeer, Michigan, Ann Veer of Kent, Washington, and Joseph Doolittle of Tucson, Arizona; two sisters: Kathleen Benson and husband Donald of Jefferson, Iowa and Virginia Downs and husband Robert of San Francisco, California; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Gazette
May 8, 2003