Betty Arlene Isenhower was born on Jan 22, 1940 in Modesto, California, to Leo Manford Isenhower and Margaret Adeane Cox. In 1942, her family relocated Culver City, CA (in Los Angeles Co.). She attended K - 2nd grade at La Balogna grammar school. She moved to West Los Angeles when she was 8 yrs. old and attended 3-6th grade at Overland Avenue grammar school. She attended Palms Jr. High school for 7th & 8th grades. About 1954, she moved to Santa Clara, Ca. where she began her Sophomore year at Santa Clara High School. She graduated in 1957 at age 17, and started San Jose State College majoring in Occupational Therapy with an Art minor. After a year, she changed majors to Art.
In Jr. High, she belonged to Job's Daughters, sponsored by the Masons and was their pianist. During High School, she was on the swim team, in synchronized swimming, and studied life saving. She also performed in school plays.
During her first year at SJSC, she met fellow artist and sculptor, John Jagger and married him two years later. They had one child in 1962, Dan (now Dan Montez). The marriage was short-lived and they divorced three years later. She remarried in 1967, Leroy Montez, who adopted Dan, with whom she had five additional children. She and Lee raised all six children.
Betty volunteered a great deal in her community. She worked with young,
single pregnant unwed mothers in a child abuse prevention program. She also held numerous jobs in church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) including serving as a counselor in the Relief Society, a Work Meeting leader, a Cub Scout Leader, a Drama Director, a teacher in the organizations of the Primary,Young Woman' s, and Sunday School. She also acted as a music conductor in the church for over 20 yrs.
Her employment background includes a work as a Receptionist, a Clerk/typist and Secretary. Later in life, she continued to pursue her schooling at California State University at Stanislaus (CSUS), where she majored in fine art, specializing in oil painting. She subsequently became an Activities Director. She taught Art at the Alzheimers Day Clinic in Modesto, and worked in the Activities section of a nursing home in Turlock. After a time, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and other ailments got the best of her, and after numerous operations, had to retire from working outside the home.
In Jr. High, she belonged to Job's Daughters, sponsored by the Masons and was their pianist. During High School, she was on the swim team, in synchronized swimming, and studied life saving. She also performed in school plays.
During her first year at SJSC, she met fellow artist and sculptor, John Jagger and married him two years later. They had one child in 1962, Dan (now Dan Montez). The marriage was short-lived and they divorced three years later. She remarried in 1967, Leroy Montez, who adopted Dan, with whom she had five additional children. She and Lee raised all six children.
Betty volunteered a great deal in her community. She worked with young,
single pregnant unwed mothers in a child abuse prevention program. She also held numerous jobs in church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) including serving as a counselor in the Relief Society, a Work Meeting leader, a Cub Scout Leader, a Drama Director, a teacher in the organizations of the Primary,Young Woman' s, and Sunday School. She also acted as a music conductor in the church for over 20 yrs.
Her employment background includes a work as a Receptionist, a Clerk/typist and Secretary. Later in life, she continued to pursue her schooling at California State University at Stanislaus (CSUS), where she majored in fine art, specializing in oil painting. She subsequently became an Activities Director. She taught Art at the Alzheimers Day Clinic in Modesto, and worked in the Activities section of a nursing home in Turlock. After a time, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and other ailments got the best of her, and after numerous operations, had to retire from working outside the home.
Click image on left to open a Family Group Sheet in a new window with Betty Arlene Isenhower as mother.