Betty Lou Barve

Betty Lou Barve

Betty Lou Barve (75) joined her late family in Heaven January 1st, 2021, departing from her loving husband of 56 years, Lavon Barve, from their home built together in Wasilla.

Betty, passionate for the Lord, had the gift that all she embraced became family. Though she was small in stature, her joy and spitfire determination always left an impact. Betty Lou, born in Battle Creek, Michigan, June 24th, 1945, to her late parents Charles and Eula Barbree, had 2 sisters and 1 brother.

Betty met her husband, Lavon, at a country church youth group in the 1950s. They quickly became a fearless duo ready for adventure. They married in 1963, and three years later their first child was born. Lavon and Betty got into dog mushing in Michigan in the mid 1960s, and loved the idea of living in Alaska. The Barve family moved to Alaska in 1968, the year their second child was born.

After living in Fairbanks they settled in Birchwood Loop where their last child was born in 1973. In the mid-1970s, Betty home schooled their children while traveling and homesteading 50 miles south of Denali. After the dream of wilderness homesteading, in the late 1970s the family moved to Wasilla and opened L&B Color Printing. Betty was the bookkeeper/typist while Lavon ran production/press. Betty helped Lavon in everything from starting businesses to mushing the Iditarod and Yukon Quest. She was there at the end of every trail...waiting to give Lavon a big hug and kiss.

Betty had a multitude of talents—from teaching, crafting, to being fearless in the face of opposition, Betty shared her joy of life and the Lord with others.

One of their last adventures Lavon & Betty embarked on together was a tent ministry, sharing their love of the Lord Jesus Christ in South-Central Alaska, Yukon Territory, and Sonora, Mexico. Betty took great joy seeing her family grow even with the opposition of her failing body.

Light your lanterns in celebration as Betty is waiting at the end with a big hug and kiss for all the multitudes of lives she touched.

Husband — Lavon Barve

Sister — Liz Edwards

Brother — Roy Barbree; Children — Mary Dunks, Lance Barve, Judith Barve

Grandchildren — Ashley, Danielle, Brittany, Haley, James; and 12 great-grandchildren

Service at 1pm on January 23, 2021 at Wasilla Aurora Cemetery located at 1096 Wasilla-Fishhook Rd, Wasilla, Alaska. Service facilitated by Valley Funeral home.