Elizabeth (Knapp) Kohanek

Betty Evelyn Kohanek, 80 of Brea, a homemaker, died Sunday June 1, 2003 of natural causes. Services Saturday, June 7th at Saint Angela Merici Catholic Church in Brea CA. Arrangements by Jensen’s Sierra Vista Mortuary LLC, Arizona

Daughters: Elizabeth Kohanek, Anna Sullivan, Maggie Kohanek, Theresa Kohanek, Maria Ledesma. Sons: William Kohanek and Michael Kohanek Adopted children: the Siscon Family

Betty Kohanek is remembered today not in death .. But in her wondrous life

Happily married until her husband, Cleon’s death in July, 2000. She is the beloved mother of seven children 5 girls and 2 boys. In addition she embraced 4 adopted children the youngest from a family of 13, all of whom loved her as well.

Betty was the kind of person that everyone loved, she could never say ‘no’ to anyone. Especially the children… she was known for roller-skating down the block with the grandkids in toe. When it came to sports she excelled, in her youth she attained national recognition as a top speed skater in Minnesota. While her children were young Betty was always first to organize camping trips to the beach or mountains. She planned picnics at the local park or would organize roller skating parties at a moments notice.

She made everything seem easy and fun and instilled in her kids her love of adventure and the outdoors. Laughing was her specialty, it was her tension buster, she would find almost anything funny and when she would try and tell a joke (she never could) she would delight in the whole room laughing at her flubbing up the lines.

And when her kids grew up and started their own lives, her sorrow at losing them became her greatest joy when the grandkids arrived. Grandma was always there ready to help in any way, whether they needed a loving embrace or a place to live, the grandkids always knew that their Grandma loved them.

The love Betty gave freely was returned in fold by family, friends, neighbors and people she met along the mile walk she took every day to attend Mass. She was a devout Catholic that took her beliefs to heart and treated everyone she met with the same grace, caring and love, as Jesus would have done.

We will all miss you Betty and will honor that place in us you touched so deeply.

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Kohanek at 714-778-5336 or elizabeth@media-enterprises.com or Maria Ledesma (Kohanek) at 714-255-0121