Betty Jane Rector

Betty Jane Rector, better known to her friends as BJ, died peacefully in her sleep on July 4th, 2016 in Lakeside, Arizona.  Betty Jane was the oldest daughter to Marshall and Nina Rector.  She was born February 21, 1929 in Adana, Turkey, where her parents were missionaries.  Her father taught in a boys' school and her mother worked as a supervisor in the kitchen in the house were the American missionaries lives.Betty Jane and her parents lived in Turkey until 1931 when they were transferred back to the States.  In Betty Jane's youth they moved around a lot because her father was a teacher and also a minister.  They lived in Hartford, Connecticut, Comstock Park, Michigan, Central Lake, Michigan, Pittsford, Michigan and Hillsdale, Michigan.  Betty Jane graduated from Hillsdale High School in 1946.  She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Olivet College in Michigan in 1950.  In 1952, she received a Master's degree from the Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut.  In 1964, she received a Bachelor of Divinity from the Hartford Seminary.Betty Jane worked many years for the YWCA in Mane and Missoula, Montana, to name a few.  She also worked for the United Church of Christ.  After she retired, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona where she helped to take care of her good friend, Marjory, until her death.Betty Jane enjoyed traveling overseas and around the U.S.  Her favorite places to travel were around the southwest.  She also enjoyed spending time with her friends and family.  She enjoyed painting, reading, listening to music, gardening and planting flowers.  She also enjoyed camping.  She was a member of the Community Presbyterian Church for many years in Pinetop, Arizona.  When she lived in Phoenix, she was a member of the Shepherd of the Hills Congregational United Church of Christ.  Betty Jane moved from Phoenix to Show Low to, as she said, "escape the heat in the valley" and, because she fell in love with the White Mountains, where she used to visit with her friend, Marjory.  She lived a few years at Solterra Senior Living in Lakeside, Arizona, where she made many, many friends.Betty Jane was preceded in death by her parents, Marshall and Nina as well as her sister, Rebecca (Becky) Hoaglin-Klingman and her younger sister, Jacqueline (Jackie) Johnson.  She is survived by her nephew, Dan Fisk and his wife, Wendy, of Atlanta, GA; Dan's son, Danny and his daughter, Riley of Bowdon, GA; nephew, Chuck Hoaglin of Marshall, MI and his children; niece, Janice Hoaglin, of San Francisco, CA; nephew, Gene Hoaglin and his wife, Bev, of Homer, MI, and their children; niece, Bev Swope of Marshall, MI and her children; niece, Marilyn McCone, and her husband, Lonnie, of Homer, MI and their children; and by her good friends, Peggy and Dan.  She is also survived by many cousins and other relatives in and around Michigan as well as many other friends.A memorial service will be held on July 28, 2016 at the Community Presbyterian Church in Pinetop, Arizona at 2:30 P.M.  In lieu of flowers, her family suggests that donations be made to the YWCA (www.ywca.org  202-467-0801) or United Church of Christ (www.ucc.org  216-736-2144), both of which were near and dear to Betty Jane's heart.