Betty Jean 'BJ' Nolin

BETTY JEAN "BJ" (RENNER) NOLIN

Cedar Rapids

Betty Jean "BJ" Nolin, 79, passed away quietly Thursday, March 14, 2019, of pancreatic cancer at her home in Surprise, Ariz.

Betty Jean Renner was born July 10, 1939, in Dysart, Iowa, to Joseph and Mary (Hinchliffe) Renner. The family moved over the years and spent time in Amana and Cedar Rapids, where Betty attended high school.

She married Michael Blair in February 1960, and they are the parents of Randi Blair, Cedar Rapids, Brian (Becky) Blair, Waxahachie, Texas, and Mikal Blair, Cedar Rapids. They later divorced. BJ met Gerald (Jerry) Nolin while they were working for Hughes Aircraft in California. They married on Feb. 13, 1971, and are the parents of Gerald "JD" Nolin of Surprise, Ariz.

Over the years, BJ lived in many places, including Los Angeles, Calif., Broken Arrow, Okla., and Surprise, Ariz. BJ was very artistic and painted many beautiful paintings. She loved to oil paint and, in 1974, she was trained by Bill Alexander in Southern California. She taught painting classes for a time in Broken Arrow, where she was president of The Broken Arrow Art Association. She also hosted many family reunions at her home, where she was always happy to cook for everyone. She was famous for her quick wit and delicious potato salad.

She is survived by her husband, Jerry; four children; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; sisters, Margaret Gillespie, Cedar Rapids, and Joanne Achey, Cedar Rapids; a host of cousins, nieces and nephews; and four special cousins, Tom (Verna) Hartz of Cedar Rapids and Marco (Ines) Renner of Geneva, Switzerland.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Fredrick Renner; and nephew, Daniel Renner.

No services are scheduled.