Beatrice ‘Betty’ Peek; 1929-2024

Beatrice “Betty” Peek, wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend, passed away Sept. 6 at her home in Anderson, CA, surrounded by family and friends. She was born Nov. 17, 1929, at Fourth Crossing, CA, to Andrew and Bessie Gomes. She was the youngest of five children. Her father, Andy, died when she was 16 on their small ranch near San Andreas, CA. Her grandfather, Frank Gomes, came to California in 1850 during the Gold Rush and homesteaded in Calaveras County. That historic ranch is still in the family today and she was proud of that. After her father died, she was raised by her mother and two older brothers, Woodie and Cyril. After graduation from high school, her brother, Cyril, took her to San Francisco where she attended modeling school. 

In 1950 she met the love of her life, Ellington Peek, at a dance in Mokelumne Hill in Calaveras County. They married just a few months later. They would have celebrated their 74th wedding anniversary on Nov. 26.  

Ellington and Betty had four children: Andy(Rhonda), Callie Wood(Darrell), Laurie Norene(Jerry) and Brad(Gaby).Ellington’s cattle buying business kept him on the road, so Betty was often playing both the mother and father role, but she was the best mother, always there for her family.  

In 1956, Ellington and Betty started their first business adventure when they leased the Shasta Auction in Anderson, CA. Betty, being the businesswoman she was, was the one to actually take the sale receipts from the first sale to the bank in Angels Camp where they had their operating loan.  

As time went on and the livestock auction business expanded, Ellington talked Betty into opening a small retail store in the yard next to the auction ring. She sold tack and jeans on sale day. She took that idea and ran with it. Betty started Shasta Western Shop and never looked back. After building the facilities in Cottonwood, she earned the nickname “Tornado Betty.” She ended up expanding the store three times and became one of the leading Western wear stores in Northern California. People came from all over to buy what Betty had to sell as she knew how to buy merchandise that her clientele wanted. Betty retired at the age of 79 in 2009 after losing her oldest son, Andy, to pancreatic cancer. Even to this day, Betty was flattered to have people say how much they missed her store. 

While Betty and Ellington both worked hard, they also enjoyed spending time at the ranch that she was raised on near San Andreas. Betty’s work ethic and character can be attributed to her formidable years on the ranch as a young girl. They had no electricity growing up, and during grammar school, Betty had to ride a donkey to school. Ironically, she never liked riding horses since. Betty’s father was one of 11 children, so there were always get-togethers with the large extended family. The ranch was always the place that Betty returned to.  

Besides the Gomes Ranch, Betty loved the mountains around Mineral, CA. Early in their marriage, Betty, Ellington and the kids spent many summers at Feather River Meadows where they had different older cabins. In 1988, they bought a lot near Mineral. Betty, along with Barbara Holliday, spent many months clearing the land for the log cabin she would build. She loved being in the mountains at “the Cabin.” 

Four years ago, when most 90-year-olds are moving to a rest home, Betty and Ellington finally decided it was time to buy the house of their dreams. They left the house where they had lived for 60 years to fulfill Betty’s lifelong dream to move to a new home in Anderson. The new location had the added blessing of being next door to daughter-in-law, Rhonda, and grandson, Mason.  

Betty was always one to give advice to her family and loved them all. She leaves behind grandchildren: Mason Peek, Ramsey Wood(Trisha), Dallice Nuttall(Logan), Matthew Norene(Kaci),Courtney Trumm(Daniel); as well as bonus grandchildren Tarin Morrison(Dennis), J.P. Vansickle, Kelsey Alexander(James), Sara Garaventa(Roman), and Michael Uhalde.She was also blessed with many great-grandchildren: Tyler, Royal and Karla Wood; Franky, Clayton and Reese Nuttall; Carter, Brady, Levi and James Norene; Colton, Maverick and Jaxston Trumm; and bonus great-grandchildren Kayli Pfrimmer(Riley), Lexie Regelin and Kynnadee Regelin; Gavin, Tanner and Caleb Alexander; and Lew Garaventa. 

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that you consider making a donation to the Andy Peek Livestock Scholarship, P.O. Box 887, Cottonwood, CA 96022. A celebration of Betty’s life will be held Oct. 26 at 11 a.m. in Shasta Hall at the Shasta District Fairgrounds (1890Briggs St, Anderson, CA96007).