Betty May (Bianconi) Billingsley

Betty May (Bianconi) Billingsley passed away peacefully on August 20, 2025, at the age of 99. She was born on April 26, 1926, on her family’s ranch in Prescott, Arizona, where she spent most of her life before moving to Grand Junction, Colorado, for the past 13 years.

Betty graduated from Prescott High School and went on to attend Tempe Normal School—now Arizona State University, the state’s first institution of higher education. She later began her career with APS, where she worked for 25 years before retiring in 1988.

Alongside her professional career, Betty shared her love of cooking by catering for many years. Her special meals and homemade desserts were the heart of her home, and she welcomed family and friends with warmth and generosity. After retirement, she worked as a restaurant hostess in Prescott and devoted much of her time to helping elderly friends with groceries, errands, and appointments.

Betty took great pride in her home and yard, which were always beautifully maintained, with flowers in full bloom and every pine needle carefully picked up. She also had a passion for antiques and created a space in a local antique mall, where she enjoyed collecting and selling unique treasures.

Betty was lovingly known as Our “Fair” Lady, Betty dedicated her life to the Yavapai County Fair, carrying on a family tradition that began with her grandfather in the early 1900s. She began helping at the fair at just six years old. In 1962, inherited the role of Superintendent of the Farm and Garden Crops Department from her father, Bill Bianconi. In 1992, the Bianconi family was honored for 80 years of service to the fair—a legacy Betty proudly carried forward for decades.

When she later moved to Grand Junction, Betty continued giving back to her community as a volunteer at the hospital gift shop and hospice center, where she made flower centerpieces for patients. She also loved watching the birds outside her window, shopping, and, most of all, cooking for the people she loved.

Family was always at the center of Betty’s life. She is survived by her children, Terry Billingsley (Nancy) and April Harrison (Gary); four grandchildren, Brent Billingsley (Lauren), Brandy McLain (Rick), Carrie Zentner (Rob), and Ryan Harrison (Ashley); and 12 great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Betty’s life will be held on October 11, 2025, in Prescott, Arizona at the Mountain View Cemetery at 10:00. Reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to HopeWest of Grand Junction at hopewestco.org