Obituary: Schott, Betty Lucile Forest
Age 98
She was the younger of two children, born in her beloved city of Spokane on February 25, 1917 to John and Celia Forest.
Betty had lived an incredibly rich and adventurous life and was always ready to share the stories of the events she had witnessed.
Her fun-loving spirit, humor, optimism and positive attitude were infectious.
She became an armchair historian of the city of Spokane for she had lived here almost 100 years.
Following graduation from North Central High School in 1935, Betty worked as a secretary for a year before joining a girl friend in Los Angeles, California arriving on July 3rd 1936.
The next day, July 4th, she met sailor Warren Schott on a blind date.
On April 2, 1938, Warren and Betty were married at the Wee Kirk O’The Heather Chapel at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles and honeymooned in Death Valley and for some 76 years, they lived happily ever after.
Warren was posted to duty on Ford Island, Hawaii in the spring of 1939.
After earning enough money for passage, Betty joined Warren in August of 1939, thereby providing them with a front seat at the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
She was among the last civilians to evacuate the island.
Both Warren and she were charter members of the National Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Lilac City Chapter, and they were dedicated patriots.
In September of 2011, Warren and Betty accompanied by their son, Bob, joined other World War II veterans on an Honor Flight to Washington, DC.
Their experiences provided many of Spokane’s school children with exciting, eyewitness accounts of the beginning of WWII.
They were familiar to local television viewers and their stories were later published in two books, War Bonds: Love Stories of the Greatest Generation and Radioman.
Betty created a rewarding career as Director of Admissions at Fort Wright College from 1965-1980.
She was a devoted member of La Gaiete, an avid gardener, a lover of all arts and crafts, and a good neighbor to all in the Spokane Valley.
She is survived by sons, Warren E. (Skip) Schott and wife, Karin of Snohomish, WA, Bob Schott and wife, Kathy of Bainbridge Island, WA.
She has two granddaughters, Mary Schott Cowie, Bainbridge Island, WA and Ann Schott, Portland, OR and one great-granddaughter Alice Cowie, Bainbridge Island, WA; niece, Linda (Leroy) Clarke of Santa Fe, NM, nephew Roy Schott, Phoenix, AZ; and grandnieces, Cynthia Vaughn, Hot Springs, AR, and Laura Clarke, Reno, NV and grandnephew, Christopher Clarke, Dallas TX.
Betty had numerous friends who mourn her passing: Chuck and Donna Pierce, Will and Anne Aslin, Linda Bottella, JoAnn Barber, Carol Hipperson, Marc Lange, and many others.
She leaves a lifetime of memories to her family; Spokane has lost a devoted daughter.
Memorial services will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to be made in Betty’s name to Inland Northwest Honor Flight, 608 West 2nd,Suite 309 Spokane, WA 99201-4430 or Hospice of Spokane, PO Box 2215 Spokane, WA 99210.