Betty Rayle

Betty Dean Johnston Rayle, 72, of Solana Beach, Calif., passed away peacefully on May 29, 2014, after a long illness.

She was born on July 9, 1941, to Helen Jeter Johnston and Austin Willard Johnston, of Hartford, Conn. Betty was married on July 16, 1966, to Frank B. Rayle of San Marino, Calif., who preceded her death on Oct. 17, 2009, after more than 40 years of a joyful marriage.

Betty graduated from San Marino High School in 1959 and proceeded on to Colby College, where she graduated in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish. During college holiday visits to her aunt and uncles in Hartford, she developed a love of creating art that would stay with her through her life and be reflected in most everything she did.

Betty enjoyed cooking, entertaining, art, volunteering, shopping and traveling to various locations throughout the world. After college, she traveled through Europe and returned to the U.S. where she spent a year in Manhattan working for the U.S. Virgin Island tourist office.

Through the years, she was a member of the Children’s Home Society and Republican Woman’s Club, actively involved in fundraisers for her children’s schools and founder of a gourmet club on South Whidbey Island.

The family moved to Del Mar from the L.A. area in 1974 where they started an old-fashioned ice cream parlor complete with antique tin ceilings, pull-chain toilets and homemade ice cream. In 1987 the family moved to Whidbey Island, where Betty delved deeper into her artwork learning to create monotypes and etchings using various materials on her two-ton etching press, housed in a beautiful studio Frank built for her.

She created multiple greeting card lines and won numerous awards for her artwork.

Betty’s artwork reflected the beauty and joy that she saw in life. Her paintings will remind us of her beautiful view of the world and the happiness that made up her life. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

Betty is survived by her three children, Julie Burgess (Mark), Steven (Stacy) and Lindsay, and her sister Alice Harmon (Richard).

Services will be held Thursday, June 12, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland. Please send donations in lieu of flowers to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, www.michaeljfox.org