Betty Joan Bullard, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully in her sleep of natural causes on Thursday, March 19, in Ukiah, at the age of 88.
Betty was born in Halstead, Kansas on March 6, 1932, the youngest of seven children. She married Dave J. Bullard on June 8, 1951, and they later moved to California, where they raised their four daughters. She became a resident of Cloverdale in 1971, and fell in love with Northern California and small-town life.
In Cloverdale, Betty was adored by many friends and families and eventually became famous (and sought after) for her talent and creativity —especially when it came to sewing. She created custom prom dresses, one-of-a-kind wedding gowns, and crafted dresses each year for Citrus Fair Queen contestants. She also taught sewing for 4-H, hemmed cheerleading skirts and rooted for the Eagles year around.
In 1987, she and Dave moved to Ukiah where she began her real estate career. Betty also spent years as a beloved volunteer for the Humane Society for Inland Mendocino County. She fostered countless litters of kittens – several of which became permanent residents in her home.
As the family continued to grow, she remained a talented designer and creator of happy, loving things like quilts, baby blankets, more wedding gowns and other items sewed, embroidered, crocheted and knitted with love. She had a green thumb, was a lover of all things Christmas, and was the best mother to the numerous dogs and cats that were fortunate enough to have landed a spot in her life.
Her daughters inherited many of those passions, including their love of holidays, family celebrations and being kind to animals. She was Grandma Betty to her grandchildren, and “GG” to her great-grandchildren, who she cherished, regularly visited, and kept in touch with. She was a huge part of their lives, and they adored her.
To know Betty was to know her hearty laugh, sense of humor and positive outlook on life and health as the years went by. Her friendships were lifelong and genuine. “How’s your mom? Give her a big hug for me” was a common request.
For now, Betty’s family is not able to hold a service or celebration of life due to the current social distancing circumstances. When life gets back to normal, we will announce when these events can take place, so that everyone who loved Betty can come together and share their stories.
Betty is survived by her daughters Debbie Ornelas (Henry); Karen Lamb (Leonard); Sheryl Shafer (Ron); Robyn Nieto (Alfredo); grandchildren Tami Berezay (Jon); Ryan Ornelas (Holly); Brooke Weber (Colin); Erin Allen (Shaun); Brian Lamb; Jeff Shafer (Becca); Curtis Lamb (Michelle); and great-grandchildren Sierra, Ava, Holden, Liam, Corbin, Jack, Chase, Connor and Drew; brother Glen Steele of Roseville; and her beloved dog Zoey. She was preceded in death by her husband Dave.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Betty’s name to the Humane Society for Inland Mendocino County.
