Elizabeth “Betty” Salinas
February 10, 1932 - January 17, 2024
Our beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and dear friend passed away quietly on the evening of January 17, 2024.
She had much to do yet in life but needed to be with our father who had passed away only four months before. Betty was born on February 10, 1932, to Richard Harris and Ellen (Crandall) Harris.
Raised in the Long Beach/Compton CA area, a child of the depression she would always say. She went to boarding school during her Junior High years, graduating from San Pedro High in the summer of 1950.
While working for a Title Insurance Company in Los Angeles, she was introduced to a very handsome man, Armando (Sal) Salinas, who had just gotten out of the navy. They were
married at St. Columba’s Episcopal Chapel in Downtown Los Angeles, a union that lasted almost 70 years. Their first home was in Santa Ana, CA, and that is where they raised 4 children.
Betty was a stay-at-home mom, with a creative “Entrepreneur” spirit. Always going above and beyond with her love of organizing and decorating any event in the home, church or in any other of her many Cottage Industry businesses she had over the years. In 1972 Betty and Sal made a huge decision to move to Mammoth Lakes, CA, a place we had gone camping
and fishing to for many summer vacations!
Sal worked for the local telephone company and Betty, with the help of Sal and Lori, started a fabric store called The Pine Needle. She was an excellent seamstress and was able to use her creativity there at the fabric store and within the Mammoth Community. It was there on Mammoth’s Centennial anniversary in 1976 that Betty decided a quilt should be made
depicting the history of Mammoth Lakes for the last 100 years. Squares were sewn and embroidered by Betty and the women of the town. It turned out to be an incredible idea
and quilt, which was on display at the California State Fair in Sacramento, and now resides permanently at the Mammoth Lakes Branch Library.
When Sal retired, they moved to Minden, NV and remained in the home they built together until their deaths. They enjoyed camping with friends, traveling on a few cruises and Betty was able once more, to use her creativity at the Coventry Cross Episcopal church, which was her other family that she loved very much!
Betty is survived by her 4 children, Lori, Cari Robert and Edward, and their families which include 12 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren with 2 more on the way!
One of Betty’s greatest dreams was to have a huge barbecue at their home overlooking the majestic Sierra’s, filled with family, friends, neighbors and church family. So, we will Celebrate Betty on Saturday, June 1st, 11:00 am. First with burial at the Eastside Memorial Park, 1600
Buckeye Road, Minden, NV. Then over to the Salinas home, 1563 Steve Ct. Minden for a barbecue, in which all friends, neighbors and church family are welcome to attend. Please bring your memories of Betty with you, there will be lots of chocolate kisses there.