Longtime Pacific Palisades resident Beth Goodale passed away peacefully at home on May 2. She was 86. Beth (or Bettie as she was called) was born on January 28, 1920 in Cavalier, North Dakota, to Elda and James McEwen. She came to California as a young child and lived in Brawley, Hermosa Beach and West Los Angeles before moving to the Palisades in 1946. She married Charles Goodale in 1940 in Las Vegas. When he returned from service overseas in World War 11, they built the house in the Alphabet streets where she lived for the rest of her life. While Charles (Chuck) was serving in the army, Bettie formed a “sewing club” with other women whose husbands were away. They mended, ironed, and found ways to keep up each other’s morale. The sewing club still exists, 65 years later, and Bettie looked forward to their lunches together, although they no longer darned socks! Bettie graduated from University High School and Santa Monica City College. She worked as a bookkeeper until she retired to devote herself to being a fulltime mother and wife. She was an accomplished seamstress and made almost all of the clothes for herself and her three daughters,? including two wedding gowns and numerous bridesmaid dresses. Bettie was a dearly loved Brownie and Girl Scout leader for her girls’ different troops and taught crafts as well as other scout lore with enthusiasm. Some of her former scouts stayed in touch with “Goodie,” which gave her great pleasure Bettie and her husband loved traveling together in recreational vehicles and visited 49 of the 50 states. After Chuck’s death, she vacationed in Hawaii with family members and was able to say that she had been in all 50 states. She and Chuck loved camping, waterskiing and, above all, spending time with their family and friends. Bettie loved music and could always be counted on to be the only one in tune around the campfire. She also played the violin, organ, piano and ukulele. In recent years, Bettie’s greatest joy was in her expanding number of great-grandchildren. She delighted in their births, knitting blankets by the score, and had cross- stitched personalized tooth pillows for the older ones. Bettie had numerous health challenges throughout her life, beginning with a heart attack in 1946, several strokes and a recent heart attack in November. Throughout it all, she was determined to live a full and vigorous life. She was aided in this achievement by the skilled and loving care of her personal physician, Dr. Roberta Smith, who came to her aid on numerous times. Bettie also appreciated the close proximity of the firefighters and paramedics in Station 69? who responded to emergency calls for both her and Chuck. She took great pride in being able to live independently in her own home until the end; this was only possible because of wonderful, supportive neighbors. Audrey and Tommy Breslin were always there to lend a hand or a ride as well as a good visit. Bettie was preceded in death by her loving husband of 60 years, Charles Goodale, and a grandson, Michael Cox. She is survived by her three daughters, Patricia Ann Cox of Santa Cruz, Barbara Jeanne Kalty (husband Arthur) of Palos Verdes and Vickie Lee Sparks (husband Peter) of Dinuba; a sister, Elda McEwen and a brother, Harvey McEweir. Her nine surviving grandchildren include Diana Swanson, Debra FitzGerald, Craig Cox, Laura Kalty, Steven Kalty, Holly Sparks, Kevin Sparks, Kristin Bradford and Kyri McClellan, as well as great-grandchildren Andrew, Ryan and Julia Swanson, Blake and Sam FitzGerald, Quinci and Teagan Cox, Nolan Kalty, Curtis and Davis Bradford and Mason McClellan. The family requests that donations be made to Habitat for Humanity in recognition of the appreciation that Bettie had for her home and her hope that other families would be so blessed.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
