Obituary of Betty Kemm

Betty Ann (Harner) Kemm was born October 25, 1925 in Joplin, MO to Harold and Esther (Farry) Harner. She died surrounded by family on October 25, 2013, her 88th birthday, after a brief illness. Betty was an avid gardener, voracious reader and world traveler. A Tulsa resident since 1953, Betty was involved in community and conservation activities and will be remembered by many for her interest in preserving the environment. Above all, she loved her family. Betty earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in botany from the University of Missouri. At Mizzou, she met and married the love of her life, James Kemm. In 1947 she taught biology at Rider College in New Jersey. They returned to the area where she and Jim had their three daughters. Betty was the founding president of the Oklahoma Native Plant Society (1986-1988) and remained active until her passing. In 1994 she won the Bess Snodgrass Award, in appreciation of her work in carrying on Oklahoma's legacy of wildflowers. Betty was instrumental in establishing the Gallardia (Indian Blanket) as the official state wildflower of Oklahoma. She received an award from the Tulsa Park and Recreation Department for her eleven years of service to the Tulsa Garden Center as president, docent, instructor, and member. Betty was a member of the Board of Directors of the Tulsa County Conservation District since 1988, and served as its chairman. In 1997 the Oklahoma Conservation Commission presented her a "People Making a Difference" award for contributions to the Tulsa Blue Thumb Water Quality Program. In 1998 she won the Commission's annual award as the Outstanding District Director in the state. In 2004 she received the Distinguished Service award for 16 years of dedicated service. Betty was a member of the council of the six-county Tallgrass Resource Conservation and Development Project, which in 1993 presented her an award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Promotion as the first chairman of the RC&D's Tourism Committee. Betty served as a Board member and Conservation Chairman of the Tulsa Garden Club, was a board member of Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, Inc., and Pride in Tulsa, Inc. She was a member of the Audubon Society, Up With Trees, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Oxley Nature Center, and other groups working to preserve the environment. A wildflower photographer, she won first place in the adult division of the 1994 photo contest at the Tulsa Garden Center. She presented slide programs on "Oklahoma Wildflowers" and "Gardening with Wildflowers" to many school groups, garden clubs, and taught a Tulsa Public Schools Community Education course on "Oklahoma Wildflowers." She was a past president of the Gillies service organization for the Thomas Gilcrease Museum, was a Girl Scout leader for twelve years, was a member of the Board of the Tulsa Chapter of the American Association of University Women and served First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa as an elder, deacon, and as a Women's Association president. She was the historian for Presbyterian Women of the Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 64 years, James Oswald Kemm and her sister Dorothy Donaldson. She is survived by her brother, Joseph Harner, her sister, Virginia Scheerer, her three daughters, Nancy Pomerantz of Clearwater Fl, Kathy Doss and husband Randy of Tulsa, and Martha Landes and husband Dan of Rio Rancho, NM. Her grandchildren are Jeremy Pomerantz, Eric Doss, Jessica Hochman, Joshua Nelson, Adam Doss, Emily Rodriguez, Elizabeth Barrett, and Chiara Dickson. Her great grandchildren are Jamie Kleiderman, Stephanie Marcus, Brady Beard, Alyssa Pomerantz, Thor Doss, Harper Doss, Torren Doss, and Aven Doss. Betty will lie in state Monday from 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Ninde Brookside Funeral Home. A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday at Memorial Park Cemetery and a memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at the First Presbyterian Church. Donations in Betty's memory may be made to the Oklahoma Native Plant Society, P.O. Box 14274, Tulsa, OK 74159 or the Tulsa Area Conservation Foundation, 5401 S. Sheridan Rd, Suite 201, Tulsa, OK 74145. Ninde Brookside Chapel ninde.com 918-742-5556