Betty Siegel

'Betty Minsky was born October 30, 1916 in Portland, OR to Isaac Minsky and Bella Natarius. She was the youngest of three sisters. Betty attended high school in Spokane, WA; she received a degree in Early Childhood Education at Washington State University, and had a Masters Equivalent in English from the University of California at Berkeley.

Betty was an accomplished singer, who sang opera and classically throughout the country.

Betty traveled extensively throughout the United States and taught high school and preschool levels. She and her first husband had a son, Steve Metz. Betty met and married Seymour Siegel in Berkeley on July 10, 1960. The Siegel's lived in the Berkeley hills. They had a daughter, Bella. Betty taught for the Berkeley Unified School District, teaching students at various schools including, Whittier University Elementary, King and Washington Elementary Schools. She retired in 1982. During the 1970's Betty pursued her love of writing and children, writing children's' books and poems. Her books for children have been chosen for class use. In addition to her writing, she applied additional talents and training in music and drama to appearances before general audiences as well as in her teaching. Her published books include ABC Letters Make Words, Lion in a Paper Tent, A Red Rose for Winter, Comic Ventures and Dipping Up Milky Way Milk. Betty received many awards for her works, including a nomination for the National Council of English Teachers Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, first prize given by the Pen Women magazine; Grand Prize and other awards from the Poets Dinner and California Writers Club; poetry awards at the Ina Coolbrith Circle Poetry Day Banquet.

Betty celebrated and embraced her Jewish Heritage and Traditions. She was a member of Congregation Nevah Shalom in Portland Oregon for many years. Betty believed and lived the "Mitzvah" of giving and helping others. For decades she has supported Hadassah, B'Nai Brith, ORT, Temple Hillel (Berkeley), NAACP, Jewish Defense League and the United Negro College Fund.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents Isaac and Bella Minsky and her beloved husband, Seymour Siegel. She is survived by her son Steve Metz of Coos Bay, OR; her daughter Bella Dalton and her husband Ulysses of Vallejo, CA; six grandchildren, Matthew Metz and his wife Jen; Heather Garzon and her husband Felipe, Morgan Chamness, Theresia Dalton, Brianna Dalton and Ulysses Dalton II; great-granddaughters Whitney and Savannah Lauren; sisters Celia Brounstein and Leah Hardin of Oregon; and a host of beloved nieces and nephews.