Betty Straw

Betty Straw, born on August 7, 1931, in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, to Henry and Annis Roberts, passed away peacefully on March 5, 2026, after a long illness. Following the death of her mother when she was three, Betty went to live with her grandfather Bert Bailey and settled in Arvin, California. It was there that she met Raymond (Bill) Straw. They married in Reno, Nevada, on July 4, 1948, and made their home in Bakersfield, where they shared 51 years of marriage until Bill’s death in 1999.

Betty began her working life as a telephone operator before joining the Bakersfield City School District Food Services. She enjoyed a long career and retired as cafeteria manager at Horace Mann Elementary School. Known for her steady presence and quiet strength, she found deep fulfillment in her family and in caring for others.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill. Betty is survived by her children, Pam McCarthy (Terry), Cindy Schellenberg (Robert), and Greg Straw; her grandchildren, Michelle Hackbarth (Michael), Kyle Schellenberg (Tera), and Travis Schellenberg (Rachel); her great-grandchildren, Matthew, Kori, Taylor, Jackson, Henry, and Eleanor; and her nephew, Matt McCoy (Susan) of Pahrump, Nevada. Her family will remember her gentle spirit and the love she quietly shared throughout her life.