Bettyjean Warner Averitt

Bettyjean Warner Averitt b: July 19, 1922 d: Nov. 29, 2014 Bettyjean (BJ) Warner Averitt died in Denver on Saturday, Nov. 29 at the age of 92. Born in Hartford, CT, BJ enjoyed a traditional New England girlhood. She graduated from Smith College in Northampton, MA with a degree in Geology and an interest in Archaeology. She joined the U.S. Geological Survey in Washington, D.C. where she met her future husband Paul Averitt, whom she married in 1944. BJ was always interested in other cultures, starting with a 6 month trip to Egypt at the age of 15 with her family as her father attended a conference on the allocation of the radio spectrum to different uses. She flourished in the multi-cultural atmosphere of Washington DC, meeting a wide range of pre-school parents, neighbors and embassy personnel, to her great delight. Relocation to then relatively isolated Denver in 1958 was a cultural challenge for BJ. She volunteered with several local organizations including CARE and the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists Auxiliary. She soon found her niche in the Denver Art Museum. She was a faithful volunteer for over 40 years, mostly in the Asian Art department. She returned to school and earned a Master's Degree in Art History from the University of Colorado in 1973. She tirelessly promoted and contributed to the DAM Islamic collection, promoting understanding between Muslims and other world cultures. Her work with the Art Museum put many events in world politics into a different perspective for her friends. The evening news might report, for example, that the government of Pakistan would not venture into the lawless tribal area of the Northwest Frontier. But BJ's friends and agents would go there, coming back with artifacts for the museum such as the palace gates from the Sultinate of Swat, or a mihrab –a Muslim prayer niche. In addition to BJ's interests and contributions already mentioned, BJ was a supporter of many other organizations, including the Smithsonian, the Asian Art Association, Denver Botanic Gardens, the International School of Denver, Foothills Art Center, Muslim Woman's Association, and KRMA Jazz. BJ is survived by her son, Neil Warner Averitt of Alexandria, VA; daughter Edith Averitt Strate of Grand Lake, CO; plus 7 grandchildren and 2 great-grandsons. Memorial Celebration of the Life of BJ Averitt Monday, February 9, 2015 Denver Art Museum 100 West 14th Ave. Parkway, Denver 3-4 PM Memorial Celebration, Duncan Pavilion, 2nd floor. (use North Building entrance.) 4-5 PM Reception follows, also in the Duncan Pavilion. Note: We are pleased that the BJ Averitt Gallery in the SW Asia Gallery, 5th floor, will be open for self-guided viewing prior to the Memorial Celebration, between 2 and 3 PM.