Betty Klein

Elizabeth “Betty” Lucille Noble was born on July 17, 1946, in Southgate, California, to Lucille and Russell Noble, following her father’s return from the South Pacific at the conclusion of World War II, where he served in the Navy.  A lifelong California resident, Betty moved to Downey in 1951, where she attended parochial schools.  Betty graduated from Pius X High School in Downey in 1964.

Betty married Leo “Lee” Klein shortly after graduating from high school and resided in Inglewood,  where their son John was born in 1965.  The young family then moved to Hawthorne where her daughter Kristine was born in 1966.  Lee and Betty purchased their first home in Garden Grove in 1967 where their daughter Julie was born in 1968 followed by their son Michael in 1969.   The family moved to Mission Viejo in 1972 and remained there for five years before moving to Santa Cruz in 1977.  The family moved to Orangevale in 1979 and Betty remained in the Sacramento area for the remainder of her life, living in Citrus Heights and finally Roseville for the past 28 years.

Betty relished outdoor activities and was an avid jogger and completed the Bay to Breakers 12-kilometer race in San Francisco multiple times.  She was also an experienced water and snow skier.  Betty enjoyed many camping trips to Doheny Beach where she savored many memorable moments with her family and friends.  Boat outings to Folsom Lake and river rafting excursions down the American River were also prominent activities for the family.

Betty had a lengthy career working at the California State Capitol for Senators Robert Pressley, Jim Ellis, and Carol Liu as well as Assemblyman Michael Sweeney.  Betty rose to the position of Chief of Staff while serving Senator Ellis.  She retired in 2007 and traveled extensively throughout her retirement overseas in Europe and enjoyed many cruises to Hawaii, Alaska, Panama, and the Caribbean.  Betty enjoyed her visits to Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, and New York and especially treasured her time at her condominium in Puerto Vallarta, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.