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- Betty Irene Hook1923 - 2011
Facts and Events
References
- ↑ Birth, in Texas, United States. Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Death-Burial , in Graftombe.nl.
- ↑ Betty Irene Hook Rienstra, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, peacefully passed away on Friday, December 7, 2012, at her home.
Betty was born on August 19, 1923, in Beaumont, to Mabel McGrew Hook and Harry Hook. When she was in second grade her family moved to Newark, Ohio, where she grew up, graduating from Newark High School in 1941. Betty graduated from The Ohio State University in June 1945 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. While at Ohio State, she joined the Alpha Phi Fraternity and continued to be active in their alumnae group for many years.
Betty taught one year in Newark, Ohio, before marrying Marion J Rienstra, on July 7, 1946, and moving to Beaumont. She then taught three years in Nederland before starting her family.
Betty received many honors throughout her life and she worked very hard making her community a better place to live. She served for eighteen years as secretary for the Jefferson County Air Pollution Committee, many years on the Beaumont Library Commission as well as eight years on the Houston Area Library System Advisory Council. She was also a member of many local civic and historical organizations, and DAR. A long-time member of several area PTAs, she was President of Caldwood PTA, Vice-President of Marshall Junior High PTA, City Council PTA Delegate, and Vice President of Beaumont City Council PTA. She was given a Texas Life PTA Membership by George Marshall PTA. Betty was extremely proud to be an honorary member of the Eta Nu Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, a teacher honor society.
She was a member of AAUW, the American Association of University Women, for fifty years and received state fellowship recognition as Outstanding Woman of the Year, Beaumont Branch in 1978. That same year she received the Beaumont Enterprise and Journal Eve Club Member Award for Volunteerism.
Betty was elected to the South Park Independent School District School Board in 1970, serving for fifteen years. This was a very time consuming but rewarding experience and she served in many capacities while on the board. She loved to visit all the schools and talk to the teachers personally to get a feel for what they thought needed to be improved in the school district. She was extremely dedicated to making the school district the best it could be for all children and turned this volunteer position into a full time job.
Betty and Marion were members of St. Paul's Methodist Church prior to joining Trinity United Methodist Church, her church home for the last fifty-one years. She was a member of John Land Sunday School Class and loved all the good friends she made there. They have been so kind to her for many years sending her cards and dropping by to see her, as well as keeping her in their thoughts and prayers. In 1988, she received the honor of being named Trinity's Mother of the Year.
Betty was an extremely devoted and loving mother. She believed being a mother was a most rewarding and important calling. Betty was also an active grandmother – attending many, many school plays, soccer games, recitals, grandparent's days, and graduations. She spent many hours caring, reading, and playing with her grandchildren. Betty loved her time with each and every one of them.
She enjoyed reading, journaling, writing letters to loved ones, clipping and archiving newspaper articles of interest, and collecting period glassware.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband of fifty-six years, Marion J Rienstra. She is survived by her children, James Marion Rienstra and his wife, Kathy, of Dallas; Mary Elizabeth Rienstra Robison and her husband, Kirk, of Horseshoe Bay; George Robert Rienstra and his wife, Diane, of Beaumont; David Henry Rienstra and his wife, Paula, of San Antonio; and Nancy Irene Rienstra Davis and her husband, Henry, of Beaumont. She was blessed with twelve wonderful grandchildren, Michael Rienstra and his wife, Erin; Ann Rienstra Thibodeaux and her husband, Brandon; Jason Robison and his wife, Leah; Scott Robison; Elizabeth Robison; Nicholas Rienstra; Geoffrey Rienstra; Matthew Rienstra; Jonathan Rienstra; Harrison Davis; Hamilton Davis; and Carson Davis; great-grandsons, Major Rienstra and Luke Rienstra; brother, Dr. Henry Hook of Newark, Ohio; brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Robert Hook and his wife, Pat, of Overland Park, Kansas; sister-in-law, Maurine Rienstra of Austin; and numerous nieces, nephews, and other extended family members.
The family deeply appreciates the loving care and devotion provided by Bessie Lomax over the last fourteen years. We would also like to thank Denise Durham, Melanie Smith, Deanna Owens, and Catherine Jordan. These ladies all took such wonderful care of our mother.
Betty lived a very full, happy and productive life and although her later years were affected by Dementia/Alzheimer's, she would be the first to tell you how blessed she was.
A gathering of Mrs. Rienstra's family and friends will be from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Sunday, December 9, 2012, at Broussard's, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont. Her funeral service will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, December 10, 2012, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 3430 Harrison Avenue, Beaumont. Interment to follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park, Port Neches, with Michael James Rienstra, Ann Rienstra Thibodeaux, Jason Kirk Robison, Scott William Robison, Nicholas David Rienstra, Geoffrey Sterling Rienstra, Elizabeth Kate Robison, Jonathan Marion Rienstra, Harrison Weir Davis, Matthew Paul Rienstra, Hamilton Rienstra Davis, and Carson Kline Davis serving as pallbearers.
- ↑
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