Betty Jane Kubena, 81, was born on February 23, 1945, in Crockett, to Jesse W. Ackley Sr. and Mamie Lee Lacina.
One of eight children, Betty was born into a time when large families worked hard to make ends meet. Her early years were spent working in the fields alongside her family, an experience that helped shape the hardworking, humble woman she would become.
She spent the majority of her life in Caldwell, where she built a life shaped by hard work, a generous heart and a lifelong instinct to care for others.
Betty passed away at her home on October 8, 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of memories and a family who will forever cherish the love and simple joys she brought into their lives.
Betty was primarily a homemaker and caregiver, but she wore many hats throughout her life.
For a time, she operated her own business, and for many years she served as the secretary and bookkeeper for her late husband’s business, Kubena’s Garage. She was more than the woman behind the books. She could often be found right alongside her husband, Bennie, as he worked on customers’ vehicles. She understood the value of hard work and never hesitated to roll up her sleeves when there was something to be done.
Betty’s caring nature extended far beyond her own home. She became a Home Health Aide and devoted approximately fifteen years to caring for Ms. Lillie Engelmann, remaining in that role until Ms. Engelmann’s passing.
Betty’s own health issues, including COPD and heart problems, led her to retire, and she spent her remaining years helping care for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Throughout her life, she was a woman who often put the needs and feelings of others before her own, quietly carrying her own burdens while doing what she could to make life a little easier for those around her.
Thanksgiving was Betty’s favorite holiday, and the family usually gathered at her home. She always insisted on having turkey and ham and the family especially looked forward to her homemade dressing. For Betty, the holidays were more than just the meal. They were about bringing family together and making memories around the table.
Betty was not a woman of great wealth, but she possessed something far more valuable, a generous heart. She was the kind of person who would give you her last 10 dollars if you needed it, never asking for anything in return.
Life was not always kind to Betty, but she did not dwell on her hardships or feel sorry for herself. Instead, she found joy in life’s simplest pleasures and carried on with a quiet strength that spoke volumes about her character.
She loved her coffee, and a big can of Folgers Classic Roast became one of the family’s favorite ways to make her happy. Each year for Christmas, someone would inevitably give her a can, and some years she would receive two or three.
When she finally got to the bag or box we thought we were going to “hide” the coffee in that year, she would get excited and would always laugh and say “my coffee!” You would have thought that she had just been given a brandnew car. It was a simple gift, but it brought her genuine happiness and became one of those little family memories that will be cherished for years to come.
Betty also loved flowers and hummingbirds. In her spare time, she loved tinkering around in her flower beds and always made sure she kept her hummingbird feeders full.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Bennie; her parents, Jesse W. Ackley Sr. and Mamie Lee Lacina; her sons, Milton and Jesse; her stepdaughters, Connie and Brook; her brothers, Glenn, Kenneth and J.W.; and her sisters, Ruby Lee and Shirley.
She is survived by her children and grandchildren: her son, Edward John; her daughter, Elizabeth; daughter, Kelly and her children, Dylan, Ghanem and Andrew; daughter, Bengee and husband, Thomas, and their children, Kyndall and Kymberlee; daughter, Renita and husband, Brandon, and their children, Burtis and Kaylee; daughter-in-law, Gina, (Milton’s wife), and their children, Chad, David, Luke, Jessica and Grace; son, Jesse’s children, Sandra, Chris and Brittanie; her stepdaughters, Sherry and Sandy; and stepson, Bennie Ross; her brother, Boddy; and her sister, Ann. She is also survived by numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins, all of whom will treasure her memory.
Betty’s life was a testament to the quiet strength of a woman who worked hard, cared deeply, and gave freely of what she had. Her legacy is not measured in material possessions, but in the people she cared for, the family traditions she created, the kindness she showed and the love she leaves behind.
She will be remembered for her generous spirit, her resilience, her simple joys and the warmth she brought to the lives of those who knew her.
Though she will be deeply missed, the memories she created and the love she shared will remain in the hearts of her family forever.
A private family memorial and graveside service will be held at the Masonic Chapel and Cemetery.