Betty DeKlyne Smith ….

Betty DeKlyne Smith

1929 - 2024

Teacher, writer, traveler, philanthropist, friend. A long-time resident of Leisure World, Betty passed away on Friday, Nov. 15, after a long decline in health. She was 18 days short of her 95th birthday. She will be missed.

Betty was the youngest of three daughters born to Agnes and Arthur DeKlyne. She was a native of Long Beach, and attended Poly High School, Long Beach City College, and UCLA. She was a graduate of the first class of California State University Long Beach (1949). Married to Jack S. Martin, a classmate, they made their home in Lakewood, California, where they raised two daughters.

With a degree in education, Betty taught primary school in the Long Beach Unified School District, mainly in the Lakewood area. She also taught adult education classes at LBCC.

Her teaching career evolved into writing. Inspired by her grandson Alex, she wrote a children’s book, “The Adventures of Alexandr and His Ragtime Gran.” Poetry and short stories were also written for family and friends.

After her daughters graduated, she started a clothing store in Belmont Shore, designing and manufacturing women’s clothing. Always interested in fashion, she loved and wore bright, exotic clothing, often with unusual hats and interesting earrings. For a short time, she sold commercial real estate while living in Naples. After her move to Leisure World, she became an estate sale agent, and wrote her second book, “Have Sale—Will Travel: Secrets of an Estate $ale Agent.”

Betty was always interested in people, and would talk with anyone willing to share their story. She also was fascinated by other cultures, so travel became a big part of Betty’s life. When her daughters were young, the family spent summers camping in the western US at national parks and beaches, and visited Southern California gardens and museums. Later in life, she visited many countries in the Middle East and the Mediterranean, Ireland (home of her mother’s family), and parts of the Eastern U.S. In the early 2000s, Betty wrote many articles for the Leisure World News about her trips. These always had a newsy, interesting personal spin on who she met and what she saw.

Betty was passionate about philanthropy, and made large donations over many years to local free clinics, the Seal Beach Women’s Club, the Leisure World Library, and supported a children’s home in North Carolina.

She is survived by daughters Alison, of western North Carolina, and Leslie, a resident of Leisure World, as well as her grandson Alexandr. After the deaths of both of her sisters, Betty became the matriarch of her many nieces, nephews and their children, and was affectionately known as “Aunt B.” She loved her family and friends, and her life in Leisure World.