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- Obituary:
Celebration of the life of Betty Jean "B.J." Tanner, age 84 will be 11am Monday, June 2, 2014 at Fort Sill National Cemetery, under the direction of Lumberton Family Funeral Home, Lumberton, Texas. Military honors will be rendered by the United States Air Force Honor Guard.
B.J., beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, went to be with her Lord on May 24, 2014.
B.J. was born March 29, 1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Elizabeth Geyer and Robert John Dickey. She grew up in Pittsburgh and received her Nursing degree from the University of Pittsburgh and West Penn Hospital School of Nursing. She served as a nurse in the Air Force reaching the rank of 1st Lt before honorably discharging to raise her family and continuing as a military special duty nurse wherever she and her husband were stationed. She also served several years as a Nurse Medical Coordinator for the Alcohol Treatment Program in San Antonio before retiring to Lawton, Oklahoma. In Lawton, B.J. was active in Echos (Elks) and volunteered at the VA Medical Center.
B.J. loved to sew and to craft, delighting in making special teddy bears and Christmas ornaments for family, friends and dear neighbors, like Randy and Karen Palmer.
She shared a special kinship with nature, enjoying the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, the Texas beach and watching and feeding the birds and squirrels in her own backyard. She greeted everyone with a smile and a cheerful heart. Her determination, strong will and uncomplaining nature were to be admired.
Betty Jean is survived by two daughters, Sandy Fazzino of San Antonio, Texas and Kathy Rodgers Henderson and husband, Bill, of Silsbee, Texas, son, Scott Huttenhauer and wife, Sue, of Kirkland, Washington, stepson, Rusty Tanner and wife, Mickey, of Bridgeport, Texas, five granddaughters, Jessica Eschen and husband, Alex, Laura Huttenhauer, Kelly Fazzino, Ellen Byars and husband, Brady, Rachel Cereceros and husband, Emanuel and two great-grandchildren, Madeline and Carter.
B.J. was preceded in death by her devoted husband, Jim Tanner, parents, stepson, Myron Tanner and sisters, Mary Ann Meng and Roberta Clary.
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