Betty Lou (Stubbs) Haven

Betty Stubbs Haven passed from this life to her heavenly reward on June 6, 2022, at the age of 83.

Betty was born the daughter of Hilma Enger Stubbs and James Clifford Stubbs on December 31, 1938, in Cranfills Gap, Texas. She was one of nine children who grew up in humble beginnings as a sharecropper’s daughter, but rose to the heights of the corporate world as a key member of executive teams to Vice-Presidents and CEOs at some of the nation’s top Fortune 500 companies, including Marriott and Quest Diagnostics. She attributed key abilities for her successful career, such as assuming responsibility and keen decision-making, to her father and mother’s loving and strict upbringing.

Betty was baptized and confirmed at St. Olaf’s Lutheran Church in Cranfills Gap, Texas, which served as the foundation of her upbringing and love for the Lord. She graduated from Cranfills Gap High School in 1957, having been voted by her class most likely to become a fashion model in New York City. Instead, Betty would tackle the formidable role of a female rising to the top of her field in the corporate world at a time when few women succeeded.

After high school, she moved to Ft. Worth, and attended business and secretarial school.  She met and fell in love with her first and only husband, the future Dr. George A. Haven Jr., father to her two adored children Pamela and Heidi. Soon after Pamela was born, the family moved to Minnesota so he could finish his Ph.D.  After he completed his education the family moved to Virginia (where Heidi was born).  Later they relocated back to Texas.

In the early 70’s, Betty and George divorced and Betty began tackling the double role of mom to her daughters and a being a member of the HR Team at Blue Cross Blue Shield. At this time she continued her education at Richland Community College. She succeeded in her role and became a valued employee, which helped her buy a home, a rare feat for a single mother of two at the time.

In the early 80’s, Betty was hired by the Marriott Corporation, where she held many positions, rising through the ranks to become the Executive Assistant to general managers, controllers, and Vice-Presidents. To rise to this level, she mastered the art of communication and the subtle art of C-suite diplomacy. It was one day during this time in her career that she drove her daughters to a development of new townhomes in Garland, Texas and bought one with the merits of her hard work and perseverance.

Following a long career with Marriott, Betty was asked to join the executive team at the Freeman Publishing Group as Executive Assistant to the Publisher, during which time she attended advanced business college classes.

Betty’s final corporate role prior to retirement was her favorite – being Executive Assistant and Office Manager at Quest Diagnostics Corporate Headquarters in Farmers Branch, Texas. Her boss Manny was her favorite, as he entrusted her with managing the budget for multiple facilities and gave her broad office managerial powers which allowed her to use her many talents and experience. He invited her to the company’s annual get together every year since her retirement, proof of her highly valued contributions to the company.

Betty had many hobbies, including cooking and baking. Her family talks about her delicious fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fudge, and cakes, but she also loved to garden, something she learned to love in her childhood on the farm (along with playing croquet with her brothers) and she babied her plants like children. She wasn’t a big gambler but loved the horse races and slot machines and loved attended events like this. She loved seeing the ponies on July 4th and going to the casino for her birthday. She also enjoyed reading, music and singing. She was an expert seamstress and made many of her own business suits. She also knitted baby blankets for many newborns in the Stubbs family.

Betty was a beloved member of Our Savior Lutheran Church, where she had many friends, and was involved in church activities and served on the church board.  Her primary focus was working with the food ministry by delivering fresh vegetables grown by church members to a local food bank. She was also actively involved in other volunteer work, including Community Garden, Carter Blood Care, American Leukemia/Lymphoma Society and Bone Marrow Drives.

She loved to travel, from weekend trips to family reunions in Texas to trips to California, Mexico, Nevada, and overseas to England and Norway to visit her dear Norwegian cousins and extended family there. She also had a passion for web and thrift store shopping with both of her granddaughters, whom she lovingly referred to as “great little shoppers”.

Betty maintained an extensive network of friends from high school, church, and work, including among many other dear friends Jackie Howk and a very special friend Sheila Raines, her dear neighbor of over 30 years, who cared for her during her illnesses.  She was also very close to her extended family, including her brother Jim and wife Barbara, and her many Stubbs nieces and nephews, cousins, and many Norwegian family members.

She lost her mother at the age of 8, but was blessed to have had a second mom, Lillie Rachel Stubbs, when her father remarried and whom she cherished as mom throughout her childhood and adulthood and who preceded her in death. She also had a companion, Hoyt Fleming, whom she met riding her bicycle in the neighborhood, and who preceded her in death after they had known each other nearly fifteen years.

Her best friend was her sister Sarah, who went to join the Lord last year. She missed her sister immensely and it is comforting to her family to know that these dear sisters are now reunited. She was also preceded in death by her sister Estelle Burns, and brothers E.T. Stubbs, John Stubbs, Charles Stubbs, Gene Stubbs, and Carrol Stubbs.

However, the greatest love of her life was her immediate family, daughters Pamela and Heidi, son-in-law Kevin and granddaughters Claire, born in 1997, and Isabella, born in 1999. She adored her granddaughters and enjoyed seeing them and spending time with each of them. Claire and her grandmother shared a love for gardening and plant life and Claire’s green thumb was evidently a gift from her grandmother. Claire loved her nana’s cooking, especially her beef stew and fudge. Nana and Isabella shared a true passion for a career driven lifestyle. Isabella is a graduate of Aveda Institute of Dallas’ Esthiology program and is now a licensed Esthetician in the State of Texas.  Since 2018 she has worked as a Makeup Artist for MAC Cosmetics where she was recently awarded the title of the highest grossing salesperson in North America.

Betty is survived by her daughter Pamela DeRita and her husband Kevin DeRita of Garland, Texas, daughter Heidi Haven of Ashland, Oregon, granddaughters Claire Alexander of Los Angeles, California, and Isabella DeRita of Garland, Texas, her brother Jim Stubbs and wife Barbara of West Columbia, Texas, brother-in-law Robert Gohlke of Gatesville, Texas, and sister-in-law Dorothy Stubbs of Woodway, Texas and many extended family members, cousins, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 411 North Town East Blvd., Mesquite, Texas on Saturday, June 25th, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. The graveside service will follow the funeral service at 4:00 p.m. at Boggy Cemetery, Cranfills Gap, Texas. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Leukemia and Lymphoma Society https://givenow.lls.org/give/394054/#!/donation/checkout

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