Chinese Wilson could be jealous of Bettine’s beginnings. She was born in Beijing (then Peking) China to missionary parents. Her mother taught “kitchen English” to young Chinese girls who aspired to become European au pairs and her father, a minister, taught literature and writing to young men preparing for collegiate study. Bettine was raised by a nurse maid 6 days a week until the Japanese marched on Peking, forcing Bettine’s family to evacuate. Bettine grew up in NY and LA and graduated from Barnard College with a degree in music education.

She married her sixth grade sweetheart, had a daughter and a son and joined her husband in his thespian pursuits on radio and stage. In fact, it was the Fireside Theater productions that finished her marriage. She remained active in production management and coordinated the first Renaissance Fair in LA, where she met her soul mate, Lawrence. After one year of dating she married Lawrence even though he was 8 years younger. Bully for Bettine!

Bettine branched out into teaching by opening a nursery school in Laurel Canyon. She completed her teaching credentials and worked for 15 years at the Dubnoff Center in N. Hollywood that specialized in teaching children with multiple handicaps. After that she ran her own tutoring center in her home for 5 years.

Eventually, Bettine and Lawrence started looking around Santa Barbara County for land where they could build a house and studio for Lawrence. They stumbled onto a 20-acre property that already had a partially completed house. Bettine then took a 3 year sabbatical from teaching to take every botany and horticultural class she could find in order to landscape their property. That, of course, led her to the Botanic Garden where she joined the growers and did the first care cards for the nursery. In January, 1990, (the same year as Avis Keedy), she became a docent. She was the outreach coordinator for 3 years and continues to teach 13 piano students five days a week, as well as singing with the Santa Barbara Choral Society and “Sing for Your Supper”, a twelve member group that sings while they cook at their homes.

What will Bettine do next? We’re just glad she continues to do all that she does here at the garden.