Betty Jo Arambula

Betty Arambula peacefully passed into the arms of Our Lord on Monday, December 27, 2021, absolved and anointed by Christ's Church, holding her granddaughter's hand while the Divine Mercy Chaplet was prayed around her. Her strong Catholic faith assures us that she is at last resting with Christ, the Holy Mother, the angels and saints, and all those loved ones who have gone before her. Betty was born Betty Jo Thornton in 1936, to Bertha and Preston Thornton in Oklahoma City. She attended Capitol Hill high school and was raised Methodist. However, across the street from her church was Little Flower Catholic Church and she was drawn to the singing she would hear from the Monks and Nuns there. She would often pause on her way home to reflect and listen. At the age of 17, she met and fell in love with her husband of 61 years, Ralph Arambula. They married 3 weeks after they met, and Betty began taking instructions from Father Elias at Little Flower. She immediately felt she had at last found the faith she was searching for and was Baptized and Confirmed Catholic - the faith she would hand down to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.Betty's life work consisted of raising her three children, cooking, and keeping a home she dearly loved for her husband and family. After a few years, Ralph and Betty moved to a beautiful home in West Nichols Hills down the street from Christ the King Church. Betty loved her house on Guilford Lane because it was "in the shadow of the church" and they could hear the church bells ringing on the hour and during The Consecration of the Holy Eucharist. Their children all attended Christ the King School and Bishop McGuinness High School, and Betty spent her life volunteering for various organizations but mainly Christ the King Church and School. She was awarded "The Woman of Achievement" award from Christ the King in 1985. Betty was also very active in the North Oklahoma City Christian Women's Club. In 1988 she and Ralph made a pilgrimage by traveling throughout Mexico and visiting The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.Betty was a funny, loving, and giving soul. She would (and often did) give her last dime, coat, or scarf to a friend or stranger who needed or admired it. Whenever someone complimented her on something she was wearing, she would immediately take it off and hand it to them. Betty loved all animals. She especially loved dogs and always had several. She never tolerated anyone who was cruel to an animal. Betty's husband, Ralph, passed away in 2015. A year later, she and her chihuahua's (Angel Lee and Baby Lee) moved in with her daughter three houses away. There, she loved having her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren visit. In 2018, a lifelong dream was realized when Betty, Kathy, and her granddaughter Elizabeth traveled throughout England and Scotland, even staying at The Thornton family castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Her other grandchildren took her on trips to Colorado, Missouri, and Arkansas. Although all this was very grand, she loved nothing more than when her family were over visiting, eating, laughing, and playing and singing together. She especially loved dancing with her great-grandson Logan Berend who would imitate her funny "GiGi" dances. To little Logan, she was his best friend and he will miss her dearly.Betty is survived by her children Debbie (Tracy) Hignite, Kathy Arambula, and Mark (Stephanie) Arambula; her grandchildren Ryan (Wendy) Berend, Jennifer (D.J.) Loney, Chris (Penny) Berend, Philip (Brittany) Hignite, Elizabeth (Cody) Woods, Marlee Arambula, and Maci Arambula. In addition, Betty's great-grandchildren Logan Berend, Eleanor Rose Woods, Ava Loney, and June Loney. Also by her sister Nadine Forshee and brother Tommy (Jacque) Bottoms; as well as daughter-in-law Tami Hoskins and step-great-grandchildren Willeum and Charlie. The family, and anyone who ever met Betty will grieve for her but rejoice in her new life in paradise.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, January 5, at 11:00am at Christ the King Catholic Church, 8005 Dorset Drive, Nichols Hills, Oklahoma. A reception will follow in the Christ the King Atrium. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery at 13400 N. Kelley Avenue. The funeral will also be live streamed by watching on the church website at 11:00am. The website is www.ckokc.org or on Christ the King Church's Facebook page.As is perfectly apt for Betty, the church is still dressed in all of its glorious Christmas flowers so in lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her name to Christ the King Church Easter Flower fund. The family kindly asks that all guests wear a mask. Masks will be provided in the vestibule of the church.