Betty L. Hope, 72, of Tampa, FL passed away at her residence on Port Tampa, FL on January 4, 2008 from natural causes. A native of Minneapolis, MN, she was a local resident since 1977, when she moved here from Jacksonville, FL. Betty was a homemaker; a Lutheran; a member of LeFemms-wife and daughters of the 40 and 8 of the American Legion; a member of American Legion Post 138 in Port Tampa, FL and a member of the American Legion Honor Guard. She is survived by her husband, Herbert Hope of Tampa, FL; two sons: Herby Hope and his wife, Emma of Sarasota, FL and Scott Kinard and his wife, Petie of Manchester, TN; four daughters: Dee Webb and her husband, Ray of Spring Hill, FL; Joi Thomas and her husband, Dennis of Green Cove Springs, FL; Shea Gross of Hutto, Texas and Lori Rigdon and her husband, Terri of Middleburg, FL; two sisters: Grace Cole of Minneapolis, MN and Gerry Harris of Roland Heights, CA and five grandchildren.
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Herbie and Family – So sorry for your loss. She was a great asset to Post #138. Sincerely Al and Anne Pinkham
Herby and family: Even though it has been awhile since I have seen you all, please know my sorrow for the loss of Betty. I had alot of respect for Betty, she was one of my mentors.
Herb,
so sorry to hear about Betty. She will certainly be missed by the many people
who have known and loved her for years.
Herb: Please accept our prayers and condolences. Will try to attend the Memorial tomorrow night. May she rest in peace.
Ken and Kathryn Ferrin
Shea and family,
I’m sorry to hear about your mom. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Cathy Valverde Candales
Our deepest sympathy for your loss. Walt and Kamela Ryan
Betty was a great gal. She will be missed and we will pray that she will find peace.
Goodbye, my friend-
Love,
Lynda
Hi Herb. My thoughts are with you.
Kenan
Sorry for your lost, Betty was a long time friend and will be missed, our preys go out to the family.
Love, Grady and Heidi
Hi Mom,
I love and miss you so very much! I wish we could have spent better quality time together, I had lots of fun growing up, playing cards haveing lots of friends over the partys ,traveling and just plane having a great time. you were there for the birth of my kids and you were a great grandma. Even though you are gone u will always be with me I know. please watch over all of us. Have fun playing cards and dice with uncle fritz, Tell my dad hi and I love him also. you are greatly missed already and always will be I will never forget you mom. Mom u had lots of friends and family that loved u dearly and cared very much and I will make sure that I thank them all from the bottom of my heart.I love you so much XXXXoooo
Hello Everyone,
First let me say Thank you to all of you that made my moms life so wonderful she enjoyed each and everyone of you in her own way. I loved hearing the storys she used to tell me all the time.
Also let me thank The American Legion Post #138 for being apart of my moms life you were all wonderful friends to her and my dad. Please watch over my dad and make sure he stays in good hands.
To all of you that have given your time, thoughts, love, careing,food, and for just being there for all of us I THANK YOU ALL FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.
With all my love
Dee
Herb, Dema, Shea and family, words cannot express all the great memories I will always have of ya’ll my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Pill
Herb,
Betty will be missed tremendously. She was a good friend to me. My thoughts and prayers are with you and the family.
Patti
Mom I can not tell you how much Iwe are going to miss you. Your perfume smell is all over the house still and I just cry when I see the things that you left. I am so glad the boys got to see you for the holidays. I will see you again but until then keep Toby and Bailey company. I love you.
Please accept my condolences for your loss. Her passing will leave a great void in our American Legion Post #138 Ladies Auxilliary and Honor Guard.
Shea, Lee, Micah, Dema, and family,
I am so sorry for your loss. I am still crying and can’t believe Mom is gone. I know her and Toby are having a great time together but that does not make it easier yet. I love you all and know that I am thinking of you and if there is anything we can do during this difficult time please do not hesitate to ask. I will never forget the great times we had with Mom and I will forever hold her in my heart.
Hugs and kisses and love to you all.
Sarah
My thoughts are w you guys. I am so sorry for your loss. Ma will be missed by her friends here in Hutto!!
MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU AND YOURS
LOVE, JULIE
Mom, I miss you so much. I have already tried to call you about how long to cook something. It is such habit to just call you instead of thinking about it. Bonnie says “The Bacardi and Coke are flowing in heaven”. Monster says “Have the helmet and goggles ready”. The boys miss you a lot too. Lee says watch his games for the touchdowns. Micah is Micah. And by the way you shouldn’t have taught him cribbage, he wins. I love you mommy and miss you greatly. P.S. I’m keeping my debit card. XOXOXO
Shea and Family,
My deepest and sincerest condolences to you and your family. Know that you have friends back home who will be praying for all of you during this time. God Bless and be with you, always.
Doug and your friends at Hart Lumber
Well another day passes and I still cry I miss you so much mom.
I would give anything to have you back in my life. I hope you saw all the wonderful people that showed up for your service at the legion standing room only just for u mom. we heard lots of wonderful storys of all the great times you had with your friends they loved you so much and will miss you deeply as we all will. everything was beautiful mom and it was all just for you.Sabrina read a poem and mad a toast for u everyone joined in 2 BETTY it was so nice. we will also have another service on the 26th alittle more formal were herb will get a flag in your honor. mom herb loved you deeply and is haveing a real hard time please watch over him he still needs you by his side. well mom for now i must go but i will be back. i love you mom xxooxxoo.: Shea I love you and can’t wait for u to get here.
Dee
Dema, as you may not know, Rick had a very bad year last year with his dad Jack dying our dog Josie and then his grandfather….If anyone in the world can tell you how much all that hurts, and to know you have to go thru it, I can honestly say i feel so bad for you! We love you and think about you! Please call me some time!
Mom, this really sucks. I guess I am dealing with the anger that goes with grieving. I know it wasn’t anyones fault but I want to beat someone up. Then I can start crying again. Jennifer, Sarah, Shawn and I had a few drinks and played played cards Friday night in your honor. We played “Baby’s got back” for you too. I will miss you for the rest of my life. I am very sorry that I didn’t get to see the service that they had for you but I got to hear some of it until I started crying so hard I almost crashed the car. Then you would have yelled at me when I got to you, so I hung up. We are going to have another one when we get there. Shawn gets to come too. No helmet though. I know I will see you again but until then please help Toby watch over us. I love and miss you so much. Everyone else, thank you for your comments.
Hi Mom,
Another day goes by and still I cry for you. Hopeing you will come back to us. We still need you so much. Mom I love you so much and my life will be forever lonely with out you. Just knowing you were home and in good hands was so nice, I know you are in good hands now but I wish you were in my arms.I will always miss you so very very much. God please help me get threw this. This is much harder then I thought it would ever be and I’m having a real hard time. Mom give me a sign that you are with me. XXOO forever Your Daughter Dee
I might be 45 but Mommy I want you back so bad
Well Mom I am not angry anymore. I am just sad. I am glad you were there for me through out my life no matter if it was my fault or not. I guess that is what a mother does. I love you so much and will always love you. I want to give you a hug so bad. Lee smacked me on my bottom and said “I haven’t done that in a long time”. I told him I knew what he meant because I did it to you when you were here. I love you so much and I know it will get easier as the days go by and I will have to take it one day at a time. It’s just that the hard days are so hard. I can’t believe it has already been a week. One week or 20 yrs, I will miss you the same. We will be together again. I love you.
Shea and Family
This is Sarah’s mom
I am so very sorry for your loss. I do not know how it must feel for you right now-I know it hurts beyond belief – Your Mom is with you in spirit. I just know she has to be. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
We are here for you anytime.
All My love
Well mom it has been a few days but we have all got together and clean that house from top to bottom you would be so happy Herb is letting us throw stuff away lol do you beleive it. we love and miss you mom still very much and it hurt every time i look at this book but i have enjoyed going threw your things and finding stuff i haven’t seen for years. wow do you have alot of stuff. wish you were here mom to see what we have done and we still are not done. Herb misses you dearly as we all do. I love you mom.
xxoo Dee
Mom, I can’t tell you how many times I have tried to pick up the phone and call you. I feel bad not being able to be there and help out. I will be there in a week or so. I can’t wait to give Dad a big hug. I wish I could give you one too. I really miss you. Shawn is keeping me busy cleaning the house though. You know him, OCD. I love it and I think that is what I need. Some organization.
The boys got a winning scratch off and we went to exchange it. When we were leaving in the car I could smell you. I looked at the boys and said I can smell Grandma. Well I never win on a scratch off and I did. Call it what you want but I won’t be scared if you come visit, just ask Toby. I love you and miss you a lot. Love Me.
Dee, I think you and I need to stay off here. :- Mom would laugh at both of us. Try to stay strong, I know it is hard. I am OK one minute and falling apart the next. I am trying to stick to the life plan Mom and I had for me. Maybe she can help me along. It kills me when I think of her and when I don’t. It is a catch 22. I am sorry that I haven’t been available but $$$ doesn’t allow that right now. I will be there soon. I love and miss all of you.
Hi Mom,
Well it has been a few days and I’m sorry for that but it was so hard getting on here it would just kill me. But doing much better now. I got your dog at my house while dad got some r and r mrs.giggles misses u 2 mom. I still miss you dearly and wish you were here and i think of u constantly. I love u mom hope you are haven some fun in heaven. we will honor you againe on sat at the legion with the honor guard for shea that will be hard.
love ya xxoo Dee
Well mom once againe we honor you and this time the honor guard done it and man if it wasn’t the best I don’t know what was. It was fantastic. mom you have some wonderful friend who loved you dearly and will miss you very much. Shea was here for this one and we all held each other and Dad it was hard all over againe but we had to do it for Shea. mom we all love you dearly and miss you more and more every day I know the days will get easier but my heart will always be broken with out you here but you will always be in my heart. I sure wish we could of spent more time together but it hurt me to see you like you were. but i still loved you with all my heart,I love you mom and miss you very much. xxoo
Dee
I love and miss you mom just like it was yesterday.God please take care of my mom she ment the world to me and I miss your so much and I hate the fact that I can’t just call her to say I love you. Mom we will be together againe and I will never let go of you. You will be in my mind and heart forever. xxoo
I want my MOMMY! We are looking at a new place to live and as usual I am checking to see where your room is mom. I know you won’t be there in life but I know you will be in spirit. I love and miss you so much but I know it will get a little easier as time goes by. All the special moments will be hard though. I looked at your death cert. and insist that your name shouldn’t be on there. I still can’t believe that my mommy is gone. I tell the boys how lucky they are to still have their mommy. I really wish I knew what happened and I wish you would come and tell me. I would love to see you if only in my dreams. Make it often please. I love you.
Well another day goes by and still no easier i still miss you just as much and wish u were here even more.
We were putting down tile the other day and said man wish my mom was here she would have this down in no time lol I’m still on it 2 weeks later sure could use your help mom.
well just had to tell u i love you and miss you even more every day that passes. But i know u are in good hands and we will see each other again someday. with all my love to my mommy xxoo
Hi mom,
Just got back from sheas and we had a great time all except the trial it totaly sucked mom why why why did this happen omg we wished you were here to help us get threw this mom u have to help some how some way please we know u r watchen help us please this is just not right.Shea diserves much more then this we all know this can’t be.Something good must come from all this and we hope it happens soon. we love and miss u very much. Mom be with Shea she needs you more now then ever please just hold her let her know u r with her.
Hello Mom just needed to say I love and miss you very much and Happy Mothers Day sure wish you were here. I miss you very much! My days still come and go but today sucks. I just wish i knew why you left us you were still young.I hope you r liven a better life now mom. Damn I miss you so much. love ya
Well Mom,
The days just go by and I wait for the next. You were right, Shawn and I got married May 2nd. I got the boys that evening and we told them. They were so excited. All I ever hear is “Where is Shawn, Is Shawn home”. I feel the love.:- I am very blessed to have the boys love him and Shawn loves the boys. Micah is a handful though. Like always. I am going to Lee’s GT Fair tomorrow and I wish you could be there. The boys are doing so good in school. I know how mad you are about the results of the hearing but I am suffering too. If you can do anything please don’t hesitate. I love and miss you so much. I can’t wait to see you again. Shawn is very good to me and keeps me laughing. But I hurt so much inside in every way. You will hopefully see the flowers this weekend. Bye for now. I love you.
MOM
THINKING OF YOU AS ALWAYS. SO WANTED TO SAY I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH AND MISS YOU DEEPLY .I MAY NOT CRY EVERYDAY BUT I THINK OF YOU EVERY DAY AND IT STILL HASN’T GOTTEN ANY EASIER, SABRINA MISSES YOU VERY MUCH TO MOM ESPECIALY RIGHT NOW SHE IS PLANNING HER WEDDING AND SO WANTED YOU TO HELP HER AND BE THERE, BUT I KNOW U WILL BE THERE SMILEING OVER HER. WATCH HER GROW FOR ME MOM SHE NEEDS GUIDENCE AND SHE WILL NOT LET ME HELP HER BUT I KNOW YOU CAN. I MISS YOU VERY MUCH MOM
WITH ALL MY LOVE DEE XXOO
Well a few more monthes have gone by and i still think of you often and i guess i always will. Mom i hope you know just how much i really miss you. i love you so much and with you and dad not here i feel like 12 my life has just went up in smoke. I miss you both so much i sure hope you r all haven fun up there in heaven. i wish you were both here with me. we all take care of Herb and he is doing good but he misses you also he stays very busy. well mom just a note to say I love you and hope you r still watchen over us we still need you. hugs and kisses i miss you so much. love ya
HEY MOM WELL WE ALL SEEM TO BE HAVING A ROUGH DAY BUT WANTED YOU TO KNOW WE STILL THINK OF YOU EVER DAY AND MISS YOU DEEPLY AND WE WOULD ALL GIVE ANYTHING TO HAVE YOU BACK WITH US. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH MOM AND WANT TO TELL YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY WE WISH YOU WERE HERE TO CELEBRATE!! LIKE WE KNOW YOU WOULD LOL. JUST KNOW THAT YOU ARE AND ALWAYS WILL BE IN OUR HEARTS AND THOUGHTS AND YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. I LOVE YOU MOM!!!
WELL MOM IT WILL BE 1 YEAR TOMORROW AND I STILL MISS YOU SO MUCH AND WISH YOU WERE HERE TO SEE ALL THE THINGS U R MISSEN OUT ON. I KNOW YOU R HERE WITH US BUT I WISH WE COULD TOUCH U. I MISS MY PHONE CALLS EVEN IF THEY WERE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN I INJOYED HEARING FROM U. WELL MOM AS ALWAYS I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH AND MISS YOU DEEPLY YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY HEART. P.S MOM R.J’S WEDDING IS AUG 8TH BE THERE OK. I WISH I COULD GIVE U A BIG KISS,
YOUR DAUGHTER DEE
Hey Grandma, well it doesn’t seem like it has been a year since you left us. I still miss you so much and I wish so much that you could be here to see the amazing things that are going on in my life. I am a married women and have been since August and today is actually our 6 months wedding Anny. lol. I can’t wait to be able to say I shared as many and more wedding Anniversaries as you and papaw. We have a great little home and i wish that you could see it, but I know your here watchin over me and makin sure I do right. I know my momma misses you so much, we all do. But I know your happier where you are. Keep on playin cards with Uncle Frits and remember we all miss you. Love you! Beana
Hey Grandma, well it doesn’t seem like it has been a year since you left us. I still miss you so much and I wish so much that you could be here to see the amazing things that are going on in my life. I am a married women and have been since August and today is actually our 6 months wedding Anny. lol. I can’t wait to be able to say I shared as many and more wedding Anniversaries as you and papaw. We have a great little home and i wish that you could see it, but I know your here watchin over me and makin sure I do right. I know my momma misses you so much, we all do. But I know your happier where you are. Keep on playin cards with Uncle Frits and remember we all miss you. Love you! Beana
Well the holidays are over, finally. I did not even want to deal with them. The boys had a good Christmas. Shawn got them an XBOX 360, so Lee will stay off of his. :-) Why did you give dad a stapler? I know I was looking for one, but that was wierd, thank you for completing my gift though. Dad is doing alright but misses you terribly, as we all do. I am doing well in school and Shawn is also. We will be having another hearing in 2010, so be there and help me out, or your in trouble. I know you are mad at me over the kids, but I am suffering enough and cannot deal with any more. I am trying to get dad to move hear but I am having the hardest time. He says he is getting tired of the Legion and I hope that is true, they are not appreciative of him in the least. I need him here, close to me. I miss him. When and if he gets sick, I can help. Shawn loves dad and wants him to move in, but you already knew that. Mom, I have tried to call you so many times. It is hard not being able to talk to you. Micah says he is going to buy me a phone that calls you in heaven, but it might cost a lot for the service. :-) He thinks of you often, but Lee is in serious denial. He does not want to talk about it and hates to see me cry, like always. I know he misses you as much as you miss him. He didn’t even want to celebrate Christmas. He just wanted Auntie Dee to come for black Friday. :-) Maybe next time. I love you so much and am so glad that we were close. I miss you everyday and wish I could give you a big kiss, and smack you on the butt. :-)
I love you.
I can’t believe it has been five years. I can still smell you around the house once in a while. You should see the boys, they are so big. Lee is taller than me, but we expected that. Shawn and I are still going strong. I haven’t talked to Dad in 2 years but he made that decision. I am almost done with school and Lee starts high school next year. Micah is doing well but bit off a little more than he could chew with school. His grades are still good though. I am very proud of both of them. I miss you so much. What I would give for just a hug or kiss from you. I speak with Lynda often and hearing her voice “really” makes me hear you. Like we were all sitting at the tiki hut having a drink and laughing. xoxoxo I love you.
Well Mom, I passed my college final and have now earned my Bachelors Degree. Lee is going into high school next year and Micah is doing great in school. I really wish you were here to celebrate. I am taking the boys to Florida in a month to go to Busch Gardens and the beach. Obviously to see the family also. Well, except Dad. We still do not talk. I will send him an announcement though. Dee is the one have to thank; without her I wouldn’t be here. I love and miss you so much. Until then. XOXOXOX
Well mom 7 years have passed and i still think of you often, i wish you could have met my 2 adorable grand babies they are my life. I love and miss you so much and so wish you were still here with us. i try my best to take care of Shea and the boys. we still stay in touch with Joi, Lori and Herbie but herb is not apart of our life’s, his choice not ours.I hope you are enjoying heaven and now your sister is with you as well be happy mommy.i love you XXOO
Dear Aunt Betty,
I don’t know where to begin, first of all I miss you, please keep my daddy company up there, I know he is missing mom, you were such a big part of my life I can’t believe we all lost touch, but I found Dee, Shea,Joi and Lori and I won’t lose them again, I think about you often and cry every time I do, I LOVE YOU AUNT BETTY! THIS IS SO HARD, MOM MISSS YOU TOO! YOU ARE IN MY HEART!
Its been soooo long. I love and miss you.
It has been so long and I still miss you everyday. Lee is 17 and Micah will be 15 soon. Nothing is the same without you. Love and miss you terribly.
I really do not know where to begin… Betty,Herb,Dema and Shea have been a pert of my life since the beginning of the 70’s. Funny how it worked out, I was just adopted right in. I could right a book, literally. I can say if Nothing else Betty ALWAYS stuck behind me, always!and was there for me always. now sometimes,(most) I would catch hell from her but knew she deeply loved me. The Girls were like sisters and never nothing more than sisters. Herb, well, he put up with me and treats me to this day as a son. I love that man till the very end as I did betty. I have a cross around my nect from her that still keeps me in check. I know that things change and life does go on but know this …. Betty, you as all the fanmily I grew up with ill always have a special place in my heart but You Betty have the Biggest !!! I SINCERLY MISS AND LOVE YOU DEEPLY ! Scott
I am so sorry to hear about your sweet mom! I still remember her very well. She could make any of us laugh at any moment. Shea, I would love to catch up. Brewer.alex.k@gmail.com
Sooo, Lee turned 19, Micah will be 17, and I am divorced; AGAIN! Guess we were both wrong on him. Anyway, I am doing great. Still in Texas for now but want to go home as soon as I can. I still try to call you and it really sucks. I wish you would come see me. Toby visits every now and then. I love and miss you.
Holy hell. It has been 10 yrs and it still feels like yesterday we were chatting on the phone… Lee just turned 20 and Micah will be 18 in a couple weeks. So many random questions pop in my head that I want to ask you but am not able. I hope people with their moms still around realize what they have. I miss you so much. FYI, I am single and I wish you were here to party…. Love you Mom.
Well Mom….. Micah just joined the Navy and I am distraught. Lee turns 21 in 2 weeks and you are not here. I have been on my own for years now and loving it. However, I turned into the Boston Terrier lady…. Oh well. It’s not the worst habit to have. Dad says Ms. Jiggles is good. On the other hand, he is not. Can in both lungs and bladder. He is in Ohio with Liz to see if anything can be done. I just wanted to update you on everything. I love and miss you terribly…. xoxo
Well Mom, Dad should be there with you now. He passed away Tuesday at his home. I spoke with him the Saturday before. Lee wants to know if you are giving him a good beating…. LOL. I have to lighten the mood and tell everyone I am an orphan now. I really miss you. Lee is 21 and Micah is 19 and a sailor in the Navy.. I am so proud of them both. Hell, I am proud of myself to be honest. I have been single for a few years now and paying all the bills on my own. Struggles are real but I make it. Plus I added more dogs to my pack to make up for the love I am missing from you… LOL.
Love you and will see you again one day.
Mom so happy that you and dad can finally be together again. we will miss you both very much. enjoy the rest of your time in heaven with each other, be happy & hold on tight. we will all see you again when our time comes. XXOO
Well Mom,
Lee is in the Air Force but comes home on the weekends and Micah is in the Navy, in Japan. Dad knew before he passed. I hope Micah can come home for Christmas this year. I haven’t seen him in a while but both are doing good.
I am doing wonderful on my own with a pack of dogs (side bus). House needs a little work and a roof but eh….. I will eventually move once I get it all taken care of. Lee will be here for a couple years so I will wait until then. I have been looking for a rv-ish something so we can all travel.
Well, I just wanted to keep you up-to-date. Not like you read this but you know… Can’t hurt. I love and miss you bunches.
Well Mom, more time has passed, and I still miss you every day. I have wanted to speak with you sooo many times and fill you in on life. The boys are great. Micah is married, Lee is moving on from the military and I have been pushing through on my own for over 5 years now. Dad left us and now Joi. Joi’s passing has taken an incredible toll on my heart and mental stability. After Toby and you, I didn’t think I would make it, but now Joi…. This is literally taking parts of my heart. I can’t believe you have been gone so long. So many things I do, see and hear remind me of you and things we did. Just told someone the story of all the blowjobs at the tiki bar in Hollywood Florida for convention… Laughed my ass off. I love you so much. Please be waiting for me when it’s my turn. Until then, please watch over us.
Another year has passed. It does get easier, until it don’t. So many things have changed and I would love to tell you all about it. Thankfully, I have someone in my life now that makes it so much better and I can chat his Momma up. I await each day as a new opportunity to love and cherish what I have, instead of when will this all be over. I am so thankful. I don’t know if one of you had a hand in it but I’ll take it.
* The boys have drama but they are ok.
* Selling the house and finally moving out of Hutto.
* Lee bought a house.
* Micah is still in the Navy but doing well.
All in all, life is amazing. I love and miss you so much.