Betty June Gatten

Betty June Gatten, age 80, of Highland, California, died Saturday, July 20, 2013 at her daughter’s home in Grants Pass, Oregon.

A graveside service will be at 11:00 a.m., Friday, July 26, 2013 at Montecito Memorial Park in Colton, California. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors of Grants Pass are in charge of arrangements.

Betty was born September 13, 1932 in Colton, California to Leo & Kathryn Graham. She was raised in Colton and graduated from Colton High School. On December 25, 1954 in Las Vegas, Nevada she married Bobby Joe Gatten, who preceded her in death. She first started working at Norton Air Force Base as a secretary in 1966 and after a brief time away returned in 1973 where she had top security clearance to work in the manufacturing of the SR-71 (Blackbird) aircraft – a supersonic reconnaissance plane.

Betty was a member of the Colton Needle Club of which she was past president and the Colton Women’s Club where she was past second vice-president and membership chairman and attended Bible study at Immanuel Baptist Church in Highland, California.

Her hobbies included traveling; flower gardening; and shopping at antique, homemade craft, and knick-knack stores.

Survivors include a daughter, Lori Garcia and a son, Mike Gatten both of Grants Pass, Oregon; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.