Betty L. Gaines

December 26, 1943 ~ May 3, 2018
Betty L. (Schear) Gaines, age 75, passed away at Blue Mountain Hospital on May 3, 2018 after having battled Lung Cancer and COPD.
Betty was born on December 26, 1943 in Pleasant View, CO. 
She was the seventh child, second daughter of eight children born to Glen R. and Zelpha (Thompson) Schear. 
Betty lived most of her childhood in the bean fields near Dove Creek, CO. Her mother died of cancer when she was around nine years old.
She married, Melvin L. Gaines on January 5, 1960. His commitment and love for her never wavered.  Together they had two daughters and two sons.
She attended school to the eighth grade. However, in 1979 she did all the class work necessary to get her GED because she wanted her children to know the importance of education.
Betty spent most of her life in Bluff, UT, where she made many lifelong friends in both Blanding and Colorado.
She was supportive and loving to her husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, father, siblings, nieces, nephews and many friends.
She could read all like a book. She knew the minute they walked in the door when something was wrong. She always went above and beyond to take care of them or help them in any way she could.
She had a wicked since of humor. Her family was often the target.
One time, she and Carol put a cigarette between Aunt Zelda’s dentures, poured Tabasco sauce on them and tied them to a string, and hung them up in Aunt Carol’s kitchen.
Another time, one of her family wanted a new house, so she found a plastic trailer and put it in Aunt Zelda’s driveway.
One year, she gave Brian black licorice coal for Christmas. Yet another one of her siblings wanted a million bucks, and she bought a wallet and paper money. 
She was a devoted employee to Vance and Laura Nielson and worked as a Store Manger for the K & C Trading Post for more than 20 years.
She also worked many years as a waitress for Clemma Arthur at the Sunbonnet Café and later at the Mussi Café in Montezuma Creek.
Prior to working for Clemma, she worked at the Sunbonnet for Bob and Norma Evans. She took on a brief position with Social Services cleaning apartments for the elderly and also worked for Fayebell as a waitress for many years.
She also worked as a housekeeper at the St. Christopher’s Mission for Father and Joe Pontious.
Betty was the Bluff Volunteer Fire Department Chief for 25 years. During her tenure, they had some nasty fires ranging from the usual brush and house fires to an oil well and airplane fire. However, the team was quite successful, as the volunteers only lost one house and one church.
In 1977, both she and Kathy Carson had the privilege of being featured nationally in newspapers as being the first pregnant fire chief and  secretary treasurer in the United States.
Betty is survived by her husband Melvin Gaines; daughters Shirley Gaines and Donna (Jeff) Anderson; sons Bill (Brooke Heddlesten), Brian (Melissa) Gaines; granddaughters Heather (Troy) Perry, Summer (Edwuardo) Sanchez, and Brittnie Heddlesten; and grandsons Garett Gaines and Seamus Gaines; great-granddaughters Winter McBride and Snow Perry; sisters Zelda Bucher and Carol (Bob) Strode; sisters-in-law Nadine, Carolyn, and Lynn; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death and was received in heaven by her granddaughter Tiffany McBride; her parents Glen and Zelpha Schear; and brothers Raymond, Johnnie, Delbert, Keith, and Elden Schear.
Graveside services were provided by San Juan Mortuary on May 8, 2018 at 10 a.m.  Interment services were at the Bluff Cemetery.
Card of thanks
The family would like to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers and support they have provided during Betty’s illness.