Maria Elena Betancourt

Maria Elena Betancourt was born on August 18, 1934 and 86 years later on that same day, August 18, 2020, she returned home to her Lord & Saviour. Mom passed away peacefully of natural causes surrounded by love, with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren by her side. Ama, our Mom, was also Grandma Maria, Abuelita, and "Rara". Mom was born in Ojuelos de Jalisco, Jalisco Mexico to Jesus Ortiz and Glafira Santillan. At the young age of around 4 years old, her father took her from her maternal grandparent’s home and brought her to the USA via a "lancha" along with other immigrants. Mom remembers the long journey that brought her from Mexico to Mercedes, TX. Mom went to school in Texas and studied there through the 5th grade. When she was 12 years old, she began working with her father lifting and carrying 50 lb bags of cement and mixing it in the buckets. This earned her the name of "La Mezclera" or "The Mixer". Mom had a beautiful voice and she loved to sing. She won many singing awards and remade a song called "La Tequilera where she changed the lyrics to reflect the words of the job she worked and retitled it “La Mezclera. Mom also worked babysitting twin children, Jackie and Jesse. She also cleaned houses and packed ice cream at Grahams Ice Cream in La Feria, Texas where she met our Dad. During one of her singing contests, while her name was being announced as the winner, our Dad, Aniceto Shears Betancourt and she decided to run off and elope! They were married shortly after on March 20, 1952. She became a stay at home Mom and devoted her life to raising her 7 children. During this time the family migrated from Texas between several states including Mississippi, New Mexico, Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan. In 1968, we settled in Wilder, Idaho. For four years we were together as a family. However, like many families who have had their struggles in life several changes took place that influenced her life. One of the greatest impacts to her life was when she made the decision to receive her Lord and Saviour into her heart. This happened on February 24, 1971. Mom also had to make a difficult decision to divorce Dad on March 10, 1972. But they remained friends until his death in 1996. With no income and 5 children still at home, mom initially received government assistance while assisting a workforce learning program. She found work at the Homedale Community Health Clinic, the JR Simplot Company, the Wilder Head Start and ultimately became a Kindergarten teaching assistant in 1977 for the Wilder School District in Wilder, Idaho. During this time, she was studying and went on to complete her GED in June 1990. Mom retired from the Wilder School District in 1997 after 20 years of service. In 1991, she sold her home and began living with her Son and Daughter-in-law, Mario and Rosa Elia and their family. Our mother was the center of attention for all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her entire life was spent working and devoting her life to spending it with her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. Each of us felt like we were her favorite and she treated each one of us in her own special way as if we were. That’s what I would call Unconditional love. On October 11, 2007, she became a U.S. Citizen and was very proud to be a US Citizen. Mom also spent several winters with her Daughter and Son-in-law Isabel & Hal in Arizona. Mom is preceded in death by her parents Jesus Ortiz of Toledo, OH and Glafira Santillan of Ojuelos de Jalisco, Jalisco, MX, her ex-husband Aniceto Shears Betancourt, Her daughter, Susie Betancourt Storms, and her 2 grandsons, Aniceto Betancourt IV and Zachary Richard Julian. She is survived by one brother, Manuel Ortiz, (Zoila), and three sisters, Guadalupe Ortiz Campos, Aurora Ortiz Rodriguez, Rosie Hernandez. Six children, Aniceto Betancourt III, Rose Marie (Joe) Bautista, Fredrick (Gloria) Betancourt, Isabel (Hal) Julian, Son-in-law Jerry Storms, Jesse (Martha) Betancourt, and Mario (Rosa Elia) Betancourt, 37 Grandchildren, 43 Great-Grandchildren and 1 Great-Great Grandchild. Mom was on a limited income but every month throughout the years she would donate to a charity whether it was to Christian organizations, children’s charities, Veterans organizations, local donations, cancer fund organizations, 3rd world country organizations or the neighbor down the street. She instilled in us that once we receive, to give back first from our hearts, then put some away for a rainy day, and then spend the rest on living expenses, and to have fun. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a favorite charity of your choice. The viewing will be on Monday, August 24, 2020 from 5pm to 8pm at Flahiff Funeral Chapel, Caldwell, Idaho. Funeral services are also being held on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 at 10am at Flahiff Funeral Chapel, Caldwell, Idaho. For family and friends that are unable to attend or live outside the US, Flahiff Funeral Chapel will be livestreaming the service on Facebook, August 25, 2020 at 10 a.m. MST. https://www.facebook.com/flahifffuneral.chapels/ A lunch will be held from 12 noon to 4pm at Wilder City Park, Wilder, Idaho immediately following the service.