BETSY ROSS (KELLEY) LUEKE

Betsy Lueke, 91, passed away on July 31, 2011 in Burbank with family at her side.

Born in Globe, Arizona on August 17, 1919 to Victor and Fern Kelley, Betsy was raised in Hollywood, California, attending Hollywood High School, UCLA, and Chouinard Art School in Los Angeles. She married Lloyd Lueke in 1942, and they moved to their home in Burbank in 1947 where she happily resided until her passing.

Betsy loved living in Burbank, working initially at Lockheed Aircraft and then becoming active in the community and in her children’s activities such as Girl Scouts, McKinley Elementary School PTA, and Park and Recreation Department programs. It was through her involvement in local recreation programs that she was hired as an employee in 1956 and began a long and illustrious career with the Burbank Park, Recreation and Community Services Department.

Betsy worked at many parks leading various preschool, arts and crafts, fine and performing arts, and teen programs, but she was most proud of her work in establishing a quality visual and performing arts program for the City of Burbank. She had a vision of establishing quality art experiences for the community and was able to see her vision to fruition with the building of the Creative Arts Center facility and the establishment of programs provided out of that facility.

Betsy retired from the City of Burbank in 1992 but still remained active traveling, gardening, researching her Native American heritage, volunteering at City Hall and the library, and teaching yoga classes at the Joslyn Adult Center.

Betsy is survived by her children Linda (Gary) Oseransky and Kelley (Kendra) Lueke, grandchildren Brady (Jenny) Griffin, Seth Oseransky, Jamie Lueke, and Scott Lueke, and great grandchildren Lauren and Colin Griffin.

A gathering of family and friends will take place Sunday, August 21, 1-3pm at the Creative Arts Center.