July 7, 1931 – December 25, 2017
Bette Jane (Mangano) Johnson was born in her grandmother’s home in Morgan Hill on July 7, 1931 to the late Thomas and Josephine Mangano, the oldest of three daughters.
Bette and her sisters were raised in Gilroy and attended Gilroy High, where Bette played the clarinet and was a member of the marching band. A hard worker all her life, it was while working at Woolworths that she met her future husband Carl when he asked her to wrap a canary in a birdcage. Bette had planned on becoming a stewardess, but prior to the beginning of her training and one year after meeting Carl they became engaged, thus changing her future plans. Bette and Carl were married March 21, 1953 at St. Mary’s in Gilroy and celebrated their 64th Wedding Anniversary this past March. Once married, Bette became a full-time homemaker and mother of three. When the youngest began 8th grade, Bette returned to the work force at the Morgan Hill Unified School District, eventually becoming their bookkeeper, a position Bette held until her retirement over 20 years later. Bette enjoyed enumerable hobbies, and was an accomplished artist and seamstress. She was also an avid reader, and was known to have a book with her wherever she went. Bette and Carl moved their family to Edmundson Avenue when the kids were small, and lived there for over 50 years until they moved to Los Osos in December of 2014 to be closer to their kids. They were able to travel quite extensively, both with family and with their close group of friends. Their plans for additional travel were cut short when Bette was diagnosed with ovarian cancer on July 4, 2015. Bette fought and won the first round, and was determined to fight again when it returned in 2017, but it was not to be. Bette slipped peacefully from this world on Christmas Day, surrounded by the love of her family. Bette was loved by everyone she met, and always left you with a smile. She loved her SF Giants, just like her dad, and even in later years could rattle off the pitching rotation and batting order! But her greatest love was her family and nothing made her happier than when we were all together.
Bette is survived by her devoted husband of 64 1/2 years Carl; sons Richard (Amy) and David, daughter Karin Van Lith (Jeff); grandchildren Astyn Wielkie (John), Rylee, Hannah and Lucas Johnson, Jason, Chris and Eric (Jessica) Van Lith; great-grandchildren, Chloe and Jaxon Wielkie, Kayla, Ben and Oren Van Lith; sisters Bobbie Booten and Gloria Dixon (Dave); numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and an extended family of friends.
At her request, there will be no services and her remains will be cremated.
Bette will be sorely missed, but lovingly remembered, our time with her a treasured gift.
We love you to the moon and back Mom. You fell off your chair – Peaceful be Your Journey.
