Elizabeth Coleman was born of Kathleen Elizabeth Veazey Coleman and Bradford Noyes Coleman on April 27th 1915 in her grandfather Alfred Alfonzo Veazey's home in Pratt, West Virginia. There were lilacs in bloom, and forever after she had a special fondness for them. She had an older sister, Charolotte, and a younger sister Kathleen (Kitty). She loved her family dearly. She was proud that her ancestors signed the Declaration Of Independence, proud of her mother's artistic talent and her father's entrepreneurial spirit. She would tell of his owning the first airplane in the state - he wasn't a pilot, but used it to advertise the Hippodrome, the showboat he was part owner of. Betty was nearly born on that boat. Her father had many, many ventures; lumber mills, theaters, etc. Perhaps those early experiences fed Betty's lifelong spirit of wonder and adventure. She graduated in 1933 from East Bank High School in Pratt, WV. The Great Depression hindered her attending college, but she loved working with IBM punch cards at the Dept of Vital Statistics at the State Capitol Building in Charleston WV. Later, working as a waitress in Virginia Beach VA, she enjoyed being the most tanned lady on the beach. Betty built folding wing planes for Northrup Grummond (Eastern) Aircraft in New Jersey as her part of the war effort. Betty had been close to Aaron Youell in West Virginia before the war. His B17 was shot down in a bombing raid over Bremen in 1943, and he was held in a German POW camp for 26 months. Aaron was released in 1945 and Betty flew out to meet him in Los Angeles where they were married on August 15th 1946. The happy couple lived in Los Angeles for a number of years, riding around on his Harley and enjoying the beautiful mountains, ocean, and other sights of nature. In 1950 Betty gave birth to a daughter, Sally. Betty loved California and reveled in it's moderate climate and beautiful countryside. In 1953 when Aaron found a better job as an engineer at Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah. It was there that Betty met her lifelong friend, Betty Jones (Morrison), it was also there that their daughter Nancy was born. Trips to the Great Salt Lake and explorations of the beautiful red hills cemented Betty's love of the Desert Southwest. In 1955 Aaron risked his savings from the Army to invest in an Arctic Circle Restaurant in Tuscon AZ. The venture was not successful and the family returned to West Virginia to start anew. After operating a family theater Aaron found a job as an engineer in a coal mine in the back woods of West Virginia, while Betty taught her young daughters about life and social graces. When the coal miner's strike of the late 1950's resulted in Aaron's unemployment for two years the family packed up and headed back West. They moved to 29 Palms in 1960 with their daughters Nancy and Sally. Betty worked at the Starlite Drive Inn for Prudie Underhill, remaining close friends with her until Prudie's passing, in 1962 Betty went to work at Red Barn Realty staying on in various capacities for decades. She earned a sales license, and a broker's license, but rarely sold property; her forte was office management. Betty and Aaron were married 26 years, until his passing in 1972. In 1977 Betty married Jack Sleeth, who at that time worked at the 29 Palms post office. They built a home and a life together. Betty and Jack were involved in the community and made a point of seeing the Weed Show, Pioneer Days, and the Gem and Mineral Show nearly every year. They both were amazing photographers who took great joy in reliving happy moments together. Everything was an adventure for Jack and Betty; their motor home afforded them thousands of miles of memories. Betty and Jack were married 28 years. They enjoyed their trips and home; living there together until Jack's death in May of 2005. Betty continued to live in their home afterwards - looking out over the desert, singing 'Day is Done' to the sunsets. She kept old friends and made new ones. The Oldtimer's meeting at the Old Schoolhouse was a favorite of hers as well as the National Park Art Show. Gradually over the last few years Betty slowed down but she still took pleasure in watching the International Space Station go over, and watching the sunsets. She got to dig the first shovel full of dirt for the Sky's the Limit Observatory and insisted on frequently swinging by to see the progress. Betty truly lived life and was a friend to all. A fifty-one year resident of Twentynine Palms she is well loved and will be sorely missed. She is survived by her daughters Nancy and Sally, her stepdaughter Peggy Cardwell, and her stepson Jack Sleeth Jr. as well as step grandchildren Robert Sleeth, Katie, Tory, and Haley Cardwell, as well as cousins, nieces and nephews. Memorial April 9th, see tributes.com for details. Donations to Hi-Desert Hospice, Unity Church, Mojave Desert Land Trust or Sky's the Limit.