Born April 9, 1934 in Bozeman, MT, Betty Kay was the only child of Ralph K. and Betty (Kartes) Williams. She met the love of her life, Leland "Lee" Dawes when she was 14 and he was 19; they began dating when she was attending Montana State College and he was home from the Air Force on a three-day pass. While he was overseas they courted by mail, and she enjoyed the reel-to-reel audio tapes he sent home. They were married on March 5, 1954, and lived in Rome, NY and Colorado Springs, CO. After his discharge from the Air Force they briefly tried ranching in Big Timber, MT, and then returned to Colorado. They raised their family in Denver.

Betty worked as a flight attendant for 11 years beginning with Aspen Airline; her love of travel took them to many countries and life on a sailboat for 17 years in retirement. "We ran out of wind in Anacortes, and just stayed!" Betty's hospitality and good humor made her a star at the Anacortes Visitor's Information Center, where for years she "would tell people where to go and make them look forward to the trip!" When Lee dressed up as a pirate and fired off their cannon at civic events, you would see red-headed Betty decked out in pirate finery right by his side.

In March Betty and Lee celebrated 65 years of marriage with a celebration with family and friends. Betty's talents overflowed through her crafting group, "Creative Circle", whose members joined her family in faithful vigil by her side in her last days. She died peacefully on July 19, 2019.

Betty was pre-deceased by her son, David Dawes of Iowa City, IA. She is survived by husband Lee of Anacortes; son Daniel & Sandy Dawes, granddaughters Sarah & Kaelin Watterson-Gosnell, Caitlin Dawes, and grandson Jonathan Dawes, all of Tacoma, WA; daughter-in-law Karen McGuire, granddaughter Hannah Dawes of Iowa City, IA; and innumerable close and loving friends.

Memorial gifts may be made in Betty's name to:
the American Heart Association,
the Old Dog Haven in Seattle,
the Anacortes Family Center,
or
the charity of your choice.

To share memories of Betty please sign the online guestbook.