Betty Alice (Vestal) Howard, age 90, of Lakewood, Colorado passed away peacefully on Friday, January 26, 2024, in Tucson, Arizona, surrounded by the love of her family. Betty was born December 16, 1933, in Hastings, Iowa, to Paul and Alberta (Cairns) Vestal. She was raised on their farm during the Great Depression, attending the Sandiland one-room schoolhouse through 8th grade. She graduated from Emerson High School in 1951, and from Iowa State Teachers College in 1955. In addition to music classes, basketball, and cheerleading, she earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree as a teacher and school psychologist.

Betty married Robert Campbell in 1956, working full-time to put Bob through Medical School. They had two daughters while in Iowa: Deborah Denise and Pamela Patrice. The family moved to Denver, Colorado in 1962, where their third daughter, Julie Jenise, was born. After her divorce from Bob in 1967, Betty went back to college to get a master's degree as a school psychologist in Colorado, while working full-time and raising three daughters as a single mom. Despite her very limited income, Betty made sure all three girls had clean clothes and plenty to eat, as well as piano lessons, sewing, gymnastics, and other things.

In October 1973, Betty married Everett Howard. Everett introduced Betty and the girls to many activities, including camping, fishing and waterskiing. In 1977, they moved from Denver to Lakewood, Colorado so the girls would be in a safer school environment. Betty worked the rest of her years in the Jefferson County School District, in schools near their house. As a School Psychologist, Betty had a strong work ethic and would often do additional work at home in the evenings, but always made time to attend the girls' school events. She retired in 1994. Betty and Everett traveled all over the United States throughout their 35 years of marriage. They visited Iowa often, driving the roads of the Midwest as well as the southern and eastern U.S. to search for family genealogy. They camped throughout the west and southwest, took their boat down the Mississippi River and up the Northwest Passage to Alaska, and even learned to snorkel in the Virgin Islands when Betty was 70 years old. Betty was always grateful for these trips and experiences.

After Everett died in 2009, Betty lived by herself in Lakewood until the COVID pandemic. In 2020, she moved to Garden City, Kansas so she would be close to daughter Deb. Betty was always the greatest support and cheerleader for all three of her daughters. She would travel at a moment's notice to help one or another daughter at their time of greatest need. She visited them often in Kansas, Arizona, and Alaska, and enjoyed the time with her daughters and grandchildren. She enjoyed researching family history over the years but was also content with time alone to listen to the radio, research various things or read news or historical information.

Betty overcame numerous health struggles over the years, including colon cancer, breast cancer twice, and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, and was proud that these challenges never brought her down. In May of 2023, she traveled to Tucson, Arizona for the high school graduations of two grandchildren. While in Tucson, she struggled with several autoimmune issues that required medical intervention, so she decided to stay in Tucson for its outstanding medical care. Betty spent the final 7 months of her life happily living in Tucson, with all three daughters and her grandchildren near her for most of that time.

Preceding Betty in death was her husband, Everett Howard; her parents, Paul and Alberta Vestal; and her nephew Brent Vestal. (Her Iowa land is currently being farmed by Brent's son Lance Vestal.) Betty is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law Debie and Kim Robinson of Garden City, KS; Pam and Walt Keyes of Tucson, AZ; and Julie and Jack Bailey of Tucson, AZ; grandchildren Zach Keyes, Zia Keyes, Elias (EJ) Bailey and Ella Bailey; brother and sister-in-law Charles and Patty Vestal; Brent's two sons Lance and Corey Vestal, niece Teresa (Vestal) Euken (husband Mark) and her two children Whitney and Bradley; and niece Brooke (Vestal) Thielen (husband Jeff) and her three children Trenton, Kylie and Cooper.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 AM Saturday, February 10, 2024, at the Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel at 1995 G Ave. in Red Oak, Iowa. Burial will be in the Emerson, Iowa Cemetery.

Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.