Beloved and cherished mother and grandmother, Betty Jo Hooker, age 92, of Sunnyvale, Ca passed away June 16, 2018, from complications of COPD. We will all miss this woman who is irreplaceable, and treasure the love and care she bestowed on us daily.
Betty Jo was born May 26, 1926, in Nashville, TN to William Riney and Mosye Jane Craig. Soon after her birth, Riney graduated from Vanderbilt Medical School and entered the Army. That was the beginning of her life as an "army brat," living on various posts including; Panama and Philippines Island. The Army evacuated the Philippines in May of 1941 and she, her mother, and her sister settled in Florida to await the return of her father. That was not to be, as Lt. Colonel Riney Craig was held as a POW on a Japanese ship headed to Formosa which was bombed by the US. Betty Jo's father succumbed to starvation and severe injuries and was buried at sea.
Betty Jo attended Florida State University, which was an all female school at the time, and was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority. She received her AB in Elementary Education and taught in Florida and than Seattle, Washington.
She decided on a career change, joined the Army and became a 1st Lt. WAC officer. In October of 1954, at Ft. Benjamin Harrison (Indianapolis, Indiana), she met 1st Lt. John Dean Hooker. After nearly two months of dating they were married on Christmas Eve 1954. In 1956, they made the decision to resign their RA commissions so John could attend University of Illinois Graduate school. Betty Jo went back to teaching while John finished school and than relocated to Gary, Indiana for John to work at US Steel. In 1959, after two "terrible" winters, they decided to move and Sunnyvale, California became their home.
"Jo" retired from Santa Clara Unified School District, in 1990, after teaching there for 26 years. She enjoyed playing duplicate bridge with "The Ladies", all retired school teachers, spending winters in AZ, and reading. She read all genres of fiction and had a group of friends that exchanged paperback books on a regular basis.
The last year of her life was difficult. In June of 2017, she was given several months to live due to kidney failure but she proved to be a warrior. She survived just about a year from that diagnosis. Her daughter Lisa took care of her during the last year and with the help of hospice, Jo was able to stay in her house and even got to celebrate her 92 birthday in May! Evangeline and Joanne are true angels sent to her from hospice.
Preceded in death by husband John, father and mother, Riney and Jane Craig, and sister, Jackie Woodbridge. Survived by son Craig and his wife Christie of Roseville and daughter Lisa and her husband Gary of Sunnyvale. Her grandchildren are; Jacob, Jeffrey, Joshua, Brian and Christa. Demiah, Audrey, Malachi, and Charis are her great grandchildren.
Honoring her wishes there will be no memorial service. Arrangements are by Neptune Society with inurnment, beside her husband, at Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorials, in Jo's name, may be directed to Silicon Valley Humane Society, 901 Ames Avenue, Milpitas, CA 95035.
Published in San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times on Aug. 17, 2018
Betty Jo was born May 26, 1926, in Nashville, TN to William Riney and Mosye Jane Craig. Soon after her birth, Riney graduated from Vanderbilt Medical School and entered the Army. That was the beginning of her life as an "army brat," living on various posts including; Panama and Philippines Island. The Army evacuated the Philippines in May of 1941 and she, her mother, and her sister settled in Florida to await the return of her father. That was not to be, as Lt. Colonel Riney Craig was held as a POW on a Japanese ship headed to Formosa which was bombed by the US. Betty Jo's father succumbed to starvation and severe injuries and was buried at sea.
Betty Jo attended Florida State University, which was an all female school at the time, and was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority. She received her AB in Elementary Education and taught in Florida and than Seattle, Washington.
She decided on a career change, joined the Army and became a 1st Lt. WAC officer. In October of 1954, at Ft. Benjamin Harrison (Indianapolis, Indiana), she met 1st Lt. John Dean Hooker. After nearly two months of dating they were married on Christmas Eve 1954. In 1956, they made the decision to resign their RA commissions so John could attend University of Illinois Graduate school. Betty Jo went back to teaching while John finished school and than relocated to Gary, Indiana for John to work at US Steel. In 1959, after two "terrible" winters, they decided to move and Sunnyvale, California became their home.
"Jo" retired from Santa Clara Unified School District, in 1990, after teaching there for 26 years. She enjoyed playing duplicate bridge with "The Ladies", all retired school teachers, spending winters in AZ, and reading. She read all genres of fiction and had a group of friends that exchanged paperback books on a regular basis.
The last year of her life was difficult. In June of 2017, she was given several months to live due to kidney failure but she proved to be a warrior. She survived just about a year from that diagnosis. Her daughter Lisa took care of her during the last year and with the help of hospice, Jo was able to stay in her house and even got to celebrate her 92 birthday in May! Evangeline and Joanne are true angels sent to her from hospice.
Preceded in death by husband John, father and mother, Riney and Jane Craig, and sister, Jackie Woodbridge. Survived by son Craig and his wife Christie of Roseville and daughter Lisa and her husband Gary of Sunnyvale. Her grandchildren are; Jacob, Jeffrey, Joshua, Brian and Christa. Demiah, Audrey, Malachi, and Charis are her great grandchildren.
Honoring her wishes there will be no memorial service. Arrangements are by Neptune Society with inurnment, beside her husband, at Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorials, in Jo's name, may be directed to Silicon Valley Humane Society, 901 Ames Avenue, Milpitas, CA 95035.
Published in San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times on Aug. 17, 2018
Beloved and cherished mother and grandmother, Betty Jo Hooker, age 92, of Sunnyvale, Ca passed away June 16, 2018, from complications of COPD. We will all miss this woman who is irreplaceable, and treasure the love and care she bestowed on us daily.
Betty Jo was born May 26, 1926, in Nashville, TN to William Riney and Mosye Jane Craig. Soon after her birth, Riney graduated from Vanderbilt Medical School and entered the Army. That was the beginning of her life as an "army brat," living on various posts including; Panama and Philippines Island. The Army evacuated the Philippines in May of 1941 and she, her mother, and her sister settled in Florida to await the return of her father. That was not to be, as Lt. Colonel Riney Craig was held as a POW on a Japanese ship headed to Formosa which was bombed by the US. Betty Jo's father succumbed to starvation and severe injuries and was buried at sea.
Betty Jo attended Florida State University, which was an all female school at the time, and was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority. She received her AB in Elementary Education and taught in Florida and than Seattle, Washington.
She decided on a career change, joined the Army and became a 1st Lt. WAC officer. In October of 1954, at Ft. Benjamin Harrison (Indianapolis, Indiana), she met 1st Lt. John Dean Hooker. After nearly two months of dating they were married on Christmas Eve 1954. In 1956, they made the decision to resign their RA commissions so John could attend University of Illinois Graduate school. Betty Jo went back to teaching while John finished school and than relocated to Gary, Indiana for John to work at US Steel. In 1959, after two "terrible" winters, they decided to move and Sunnyvale, California became their home.
"Jo" retired from Santa Clara Unified School District, in 1990, after teaching there for 26 years. She enjoyed playing duplicate bridge with "The Ladies", all retired school teachers, spending winters in AZ, and reading. She read all genres of fiction and had a group of friends that exchanged paperback books on a regular basis.
The last year of her life was difficult. In June of 2017, she was given several months to live due to kidney failure but she proved to be a warrior. She survived just about a year from that diagnosis. Her daughter Lisa took care of her during the last year and with the help of hospice, Jo was able to stay in her house and even got to celebrate her 92 birthday in May! Evangeline and Joanne are true angels sent to her from hospice.
Preceded in death by husband John, father and mother, Riney and Jane Craig, and sister, Jackie Woodbridge. Survived by son Craig and his wife Christie of Roseville and daughter Lisa and her husband Gary of Sunnyvale. Her grandchildren are; Jacob, Jeffrey, Joshua, Brian and Christa. Demiah, Audrey, Malachi, and Charis are her great grandchildren.
Honoring her wishes there will be no memorial service. Arrangements are by Neptune Society with inurnment, beside her husband, at Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorials, in Jo's name, may be directed to Silicon Valley Humane Society, 901 Ames Avenue, Milpitas, CA 95035.
Published in San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times on Aug. 17, 2018
Betty Jo was born May 26, 1926, in Nashville, TN to William Riney and Mosye Jane Craig. Soon after her birth, Riney graduated from Vanderbilt Medical School and entered the Army. That was the beginning of her life as an "army brat," living on various posts including; Panama and Philippines Island. The Army evacuated the Philippines in May of 1941 and she, her mother, and her sister settled in Florida to await the return of her father. That was not to be, as Lt. Colonel Riney Craig was held as a POW on a Japanese ship headed to Formosa which was bombed by the US. Betty Jo's father succumbed to starvation and severe injuries and was buried at sea.
Betty Jo attended Florida State University, which was an all female school at the time, and was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority. She received her AB in Elementary Education and taught in Florida and than Seattle, Washington.
She decided on a career change, joined the Army and became a 1st Lt. WAC officer. In October of 1954, at Ft. Benjamin Harrison (Indianapolis, Indiana), she met 1st Lt. John Dean Hooker. After nearly two months of dating they were married on Christmas Eve 1954. In 1956, they made the decision to resign their RA commissions so John could attend University of Illinois Graduate school. Betty Jo went back to teaching while John finished school and than relocated to Gary, Indiana for John to work at US Steel. In 1959, after two "terrible" winters, they decided to move and Sunnyvale, California became their home.
"Jo" retired from Santa Clara Unified School District, in 1990, after teaching there for 26 years. She enjoyed playing duplicate bridge with "The Ladies", all retired school teachers, spending winters in AZ, and reading. She read all genres of fiction and had a group of friends that exchanged paperback books on a regular basis.
The last year of her life was difficult. In June of 2017, she was given several months to live due to kidney failure but she proved to be a warrior. She survived just about a year from that diagnosis. Her daughter Lisa took care of her during the last year and with the help of hospice, Jo was able to stay in her house and even got to celebrate her 92 birthday in May! Evangeline and Joanne are true angels sent to her from hospice.
Preceded in death by husband John, father and mother, Riney and Jane Craig, and sister, Jackie Woodbridge. Survived by son Craig and his wife Christie of Roseville and daughter Lisa and her husband Gary of Sunnyvale. Her grandchildren are; Jacob, Jeffrey, Joshua, Brian and Christa. Demiah, Audrey, Malachi, and Charis are her great grandchildren.
Honoring her wishes there will be no memorial service. Arrangements are by Neptune Society with inurnment, beside her husband, at Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorials, in Jo's name, may be directed to Silicon Valley Humane Society, 901 Ames Avenue, Milpitas, CA 95035.
Published in San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times on Aug. 17, 2018
Inscription
1ST LT
USA
WAC
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
