(Betsy) Jane Gray Hannon was born in Fallbrook, California on August 27, 1941. She passed away November 19, 2013 after a short fight with ovarian cancer.
Betsy was raised on an avocado plantation in Fallbrook, CA, where she rode her horses daily, often riding miles to compete in the closest gymkhana. She later attended Purdue University for a year and went on to graduate from Catherine Gibbs College in 1963.
She was recruited to work for the State Department, serving temporary tour of duty assignments in Haiti and Columbia. Gary Clark Hannon met her in January of 1964, falling in love with her after she soundly beat him in a game of billiards. She then left him for a tour in Bogata, Columbia. Dad pursued her relentlessly from half way around the world, until she married him in July 1965. They worked together in Marana, Arizona and in 1967, both served five years in Thailand. Twins were born December 5, 1970. The family returned to the United States in 1973 and worked for Sierra Pacific Airlines until retirement. Upon retirement, Betsy and Gary spent half the year in Montana and the other in Arizona.
Betsy was a topnotch shooter, avid outdoorsman and a terrific horseman. She volunteered with 4-H, the Tucson Rodeo, Darby Logger Days and the Bull O’Rama. She was a terrific wife, mother and friend to all who knew her. If you had the opportunity to spend any time with her, you wondered where she got her energy, sense of humor and bullheadedness. Oh, what fun we all had with Betsy! She will be sorely missed.
She leaves husband Gary, son Dirk (Jeanine), granddaughter Darby, grandson Champ, of Prescott, AZ and daughter Kim, of Missoula, MT.
It is our greatest hope that she find all the ponies she can handle in Heaven.