Bette, an Arlington County resident and community activist, died at age 86, at Capital Hospice Center from complications after multiple strokes on Sunday. The daughter of the late Kenneth H Goss and Minnie A DeBoer of Vermont. Preceded in death by her sister, Jeanne Goss Jones, her brother John Goss and her beloved husband Joseph Elwood Clements, retired Arlington County Sheriff of more than 20 years, whom she married in 1946. She was the sister-in-law of the late Elva Lee Kingsford, Margaret Clements and Andrew C Clements of Arlington, Va and the mother-in-law of the late Nan Thorn Clements. She is survived by her sons, Andrew H Clements of Arlington, Va, A Leigh Clements, Grantsville, MD and Kuiper D Clements, Herndon, VA; 1 daughter, Lynn C Horsky, Boxborough, MA; her granddaughters, Anna E H Newton, Kristen N Clements, Kinsey E Clements and grandsons, Matthew K Clements and Neil A Horsky; her daughters-in-law, Roberta Robertson and Norah M Clements; son-in-law Thomas N Horsky; her sister-in-law, JoAnn Allard; her brothers-in-law, William P Clements, Roy Paul and Norman Stanley; her nieces, and their children, Wendy Chicoine, Jennifer Donoghue and Phillipa M C Jones; her nephews, and their wives and children, John A Sieber, Steve Kingsford, Richard R Stanley, Frederick H Stanley and brother Craig Stanley, alex J E Jones; her cousin-in-law and children, LaRue Barnes; and her goddaughter and children, Jennifer C Wilkinson.
Friends called at Arlington Funeral Home, 3901 N Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA, on 24 January, 2011. A Memorial service was held 25 January, 2011 at Rock Spring Congregational Church, 5010 Little Falls Road, Arlington, Va 22207.
Contributions in her honor may be made to The Arlington Historical Society ACORN Fund, PO Box 100402, Arlington, VA 22210-3402.