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by Jennifer Byrd –
| < LT. COLONELS RICHARD AND BETTIE LOVE |
Around 300 friends, family and officers gathered at Camp Redwood Glen in the Santa Cruz Mountains to bid a fond farewell to Golden State Divisional Commanders Lt. Colonels Richard and Bettie Love, who retired after nearly 40 years of service.
Major Ron Strickland welcomed those present, followed by Captain Mike Dickinson who led the opening prayer. Reflections were given by friends and colleagues Major Tim Foley, Captain Jennifer Fagerstrom, Captain Ezekiel Guevara, Captain Lawry Smith, Envoy Jerry Bloom and Major Neil Saunders. The Loves’ three daughters April, Allison and Amy shared their thoughts on their parents’ retirement.
Commissioners Phil and Keitha Needham, Southern Territory leaders, presented the retirement certificates.
Richard was born in Iola, Kansas; Bettie was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Richard entered the School for Officers’ Training in San Francisco in 1963 and was commissioned with the Proclaimers of the Faith Session of cadets. He was appointed assistant corps officer in Santa Monica in 1965.
Bettie entered the School for Officers’ Training in San Francisco in 1965 with the Witnesses to the Faith Session. In Decem-ber of that year, they married and in 1967 were appointed to the Santa Maria Corps.
In 1970, they were made Southern California divisional youth leaders (DYS) and in 1972 they served as DYS, in the (then) Northern California and Nevada Divison. From 1976 to 1983, they served as corps officers at the Seattle Temple, Hollywood Tabernacle and the Pasadena Tabernacle corps. They became territorial youth leaders at THQ at Rancho Palos Verdes and in 1986 served as San Diego County coordinator and corps officers at the San Diego Citadel.
In 1990, they served as general secretary and assistant Home League secretary in the Southern California Division. In 1991, they were appointed as divisional commander and director of women’s organizations in the Cascade Division and in 1997 they were appointed divisional commander and director of women’s ministries/San Francisco city administrator, respectively, for the Golden State Division.
The Loves have retired in Goodyear, Arizona where they are busy moving into their new home and waiting to see what God has in store for them in this new chapter of their life. Their address is: 14437 West Lexington Ave., Goodyear, AZ 85338.
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