Betty Close

Betty Close, 84, passed away in Phoenix, Ariz., on March 17, 2022, after a long struggle with dementia induced by hydrocephalus. Betty was born Nov. 29, 1937, in Wembley, England. She was the only child of Kathleen Spendley Hughes and Eric Hughes, who died during the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940. Betty and her mother survived the Blitz and immigrated to Ontario, Canada, after her mother remarried.

Betty graduated from Markham High School before continuing on to the Edith Cavell Nursing College of Toronto Western Hospital to become a registered nurse. On May 3, 1958, she married the love of her life, Robert Norman Close. Bob and Betty were married for just shy of 64 years. They worked and started a family in northern Ontario before immigrating to Arizona in 1965 with their four children.

Betty lived, worked and raised her family with Bob throughout Arizona and the Hawaiian Islands after Bob established a general contracting business. During her nursing career, Betty worked for company hospitals in mining towns, at nursing homes and at the spinal trauma rehabilitation ward at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix. She was once head of nursing at Mesa Christian Nursing Home.

After she retired, Betty enjoyed traveling with her husband and visited many countries around the world including England, France, Italy, Egypt, Zambia, Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Morocco, Russia, China, Chile, Brazil, Vietnam and Australia.

Bob and Betty loved their Samoyed, JD, and Betty loved her horses, Pride and Zeronica. Betty is survived by her husband, Bob; her children, Cheryl, Kevin (Leonie), Christine, and James (Cori); her grandchildren, Rose, Lance, Molly, Bess, Gordon, Jerika, Chryessa, Zachery, Kymberly, Kanoe, and Makoa; her great-grandchildren, Alec, Glenn, Brant, Cadence, Paige, Lucy, Brinna, Leighton, Arlen, Oliver, Finn, and Arlo; and her great-great grandchildren, Sofia and Dylan. Her family is comforted that Betty is now at peace.

A memorial service is being planned for a later date.