(Photo)

Betty Mae Claborn Petersen, born June 6, 1933 in Blair to Levi J. Claborn and Nancy Jane Claborn, passed away on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, in Houston, Texas.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Earl Albert (Pete) Petersen.

She is survived by her son, Paul A. Petersen and his husband Michael A. Holtz, of Houston, Tex.

Her sister Eloise Claborn Green of Omaha, brother Bill Claborn and his wife Georgia, of Omaha, brother-in-law Curtis Dale Petersen and his wife Marilyn Jahnel of Carrollton, Tex. and numerous nieces and nephews.

Betty married her high school sweetheart, Earl, April 15, 1951. After their wedding Earl was deployed to Korea twice during the Korean Conflict. When he returned they were sent to Fort Leonard Wood Army Post. She then followed him to Fort Benning, Georgia. Her 2 Sons were born there and it is where she started her 50 plus year career in the Civil Service. The family spent time at Fort Kobbe in the Panama Canal Zone, Fort Benning, Ga. and ended up in Springfield, Mo. in 1971. Betty went to work for the US Medical Center for Federal Prisoners and became instrumental in the development and training for the computerization of the Federal Prison System.

In 1982 she and Pete relocated to Washington, D.C. where she worked for the Justice Department Bureau of Prisons. Betty and her staff established an automated system for managing all correspondence from receipt to final disposition and filing. She was honored with multiple awards for her service.

Betty enjoyed hosting friends and family visiting the Washington, D.C. area for over 36 years. She was lovingly given the title of "Best Tour Guide". She enjoyed retired life traveling the US with Pete visiting their numerous friends and family, until his death in 2008.

As a widow, Betty became a volunteer at the Post Library at Fort Meyer, Va., Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and as an Election Pollster in Rosslyn, Va. She was Chaplain of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Arlington House Chapter, Arlington, Va. She was a member of the Herman chapter Order of the Eastern Star No. 216, Blair, NE.

Betty moved to Houston, Texas, in April of 2015 to be closer to her son Paul and his husband Michael.

Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Va. Date to be announced.

Donations may be made to Herman Community Church, 808 Main St, Herman NE 68029

Daughters of the American Revolution, Arlington House Chapter, Arlington, Va. Alzheimer's Association, act.alz.org

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #214598485