Betty Anne Shearer's Obituary
A year ago Betty was diagnosed with lung cancer. She amazed us with her faith, courage and acceptance of GodÂ's will for her in the last year. She passed away peacefully on Oct 23, 2005, at home as she desired.Betty was born Elizabeth Anne Cavanaugh on Nov 2, 1929 to Edward and Kitty Cavanaugh in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. She and her siblings spent many summers at the shore in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She remained close to her siblings all of her life. She graduated and excelled in her career as a top-notch executive secretary.Betty Anne moved with her brother and his family to Anchorage, Alaska in 1959. It was on Elmendorf AFB she met her husband Al Shearer and they were married Sept 24, 1960. Their first home was a 12Â'x24Â' cabin that Al built.Betty and Al had two children; daughter Marie Shearer Andersen and son Mike Shearer. They had wonderful family vacations and truly were a happy family.Betty loved to paint, travel, go to the movies, to the theatre, and just socializing with people. She had a great sense of humor and was fun to be around. She especially enjoyed being with her grandchildren and spoiling them. She loved Hawaii and enjoyed a trip in Feb, 2005, to Maui, riding around in a red mustang convertible.Betty was proud of her 100% Irish ancestry and enjoyed visiting Ireland in 1986.Betty enjoyed working as a volunteer at the VisitorsÂ' Center in Anchorage and Eagle River, and learned some Russian to speak to the Russian tourists. She also bought and learned how to use a computer in her late 60s.Her love of her life, her husband Al, passed away in Jan 1995.Betty moved to University Place in Oct 1999 and loved the area, especially Titlow Beach.Betty had been a friend of Bill W. for 32 years. She shared her courage, strength and hope with all she encountered. She was an inspiration to many and even had a 12-step call the last week she was alive. Her son says that she was the driving force in his sobriety and living a spiritual life. Her daughter believes that the greatest gift to her was teaching her about God, how to pray, and teaching her how to live by example.She was preceded in death by her parents, sibling Patsy Callahan, and husband Al Shearer. She leaves behind son Mike Shearer, and daughter Marie and husband Allen Andersen; siblings Kate Gorman, Marie McLaverty, and Pete and Peggy Cavanaugh; beloved grandchildren Will Andersen, and Adria and Don Esterbrook; beloved great-grandchildren Ariel Esterbrook and Alec Esterbrook; and beloved nieces and nephews from Alaska to Florida.Franciscan Hospice was a wonderful gift to my mom, and if you wish donations may be made in her name.Thank you to Dr. Jay Klarnet, Sharon Anderson, and the staff at Franciscan Hospice, especially Janine, Heather, and Judy. Special thanks to her friends that were there for her at the end.Rosary will be held at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, November 1, 2005, with Funeral Mass being held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, November 2, 2005, both at St. Charles Borromeo, followed by a reception.
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