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Obituary for Bette K. Few
Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Our Beloved
Saturday, February 27, 2016
BETTE K. FEW
MEMORIAL SERVICE
All Hallows Church 262 Bent Road Wyncote, PA 19095
10:00 a.m.
Inurnment to conclude following service All Hallows Church Cemetery
LIFE STORY
A long productive life filled with experiences that help others Bette Kathryn Riley Few was born on January 8, 1935 in Philadelphia, PA to Myrtle Z. Riley and Thomas J. Riley. At the tender age of one her father passed away. She and her siblings were able to attend the Scotland School for Veterans Children. Bette achieved a diploma and scholarship to Cheyney Teachers’ College. In 1953, she and three other college students founded the CHI Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta. She later received a B. S. in Home Economics with a rider in Special Education. As a sorority sister she was given a means to give back to the community through service as a Basileus in 1966-67, service in the Center in the Park project, the March of Dimes campaigns and achieve a life- time service designation. Mrs. Few considers “her administration in the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority to be a building block which helped to implement and strengthen the ideals upon which their organization-specifically the Beta Delta Zeta Chapter was founded.” During her tenure the agenda was filled with motivational activities designed to provide support to the membership as they carried out the multiplicity of Zeta programs. In 1964 she was married to Giles Mitchell Few in Philadelphia. They were able to enjoy thirty –five years of philanthropy, travel and personal fulfillment. Both were able to acquire additional degrees from Temple University and with coursework abroad. They travelled to Ghana, Germany and Spain. Although they had no children each of them enjoyed their respective families giving experiences to fulfill their lives immensely. When she became a widow in 2009, she was able to continue their service to the community. Bette was a Home Economics Instructor in a number of school buildings in the School District of Philadelphia for over thirty-five years. She filled the classrooms with delicious smells, management training techniques and future homemakers. She started with Get –Set in the district and accepted positions until she acquired a home-economics suite with sewing machines, a full kitchen and a garden area. She also taught at the Berlin High School in Germany during the 1986 school year. Bette was a gracious hostess who loved to entertain family on the deck at their home, friends on the holidays and participate in sorority events. The family favorite is sour cream pound cake with its origins with her parents and many years of family stories of enjoyment. Zeta blue can be seen throughout her home. She was able to travel to the yearly Boule for a number of years. Community Volunteerism Coordinator and Nomination Chairperson 1999-01 Beta Delta Zeta Chapter The National Pan Hellenic Council of Philadelphia honored her in 2011. Chi Chapter Alum 60th Anniversary --- recognition for outstanding contributions October 2013 Bette Kathryn Riley Few exemplifies the tenets of her sorority- that of being a finer woman.
Her nieces and nephews, cousins survive her respectfully – Atuwfa Muhammad, and her children- Mashkuwr, Tawluwt and Ma’arij ,Phyllis Fontaine, Thomas J Riley III, Charles E. Mack Jr. and Heidi and daughter Sarah, Thomas T. Fontaine III and Tamitra and their son Thomas T. Fontaine IV and their son Thomas Fontaine V , cousins –Malcolm Riley and children; Beth Riley Sells and children; Quincy Sells and Jasmine Sells, Eric Riley and his children; Xan Riley, Mark Riley and Dr. Malcolm Riley III, second cousins-Almeta May and children; Cord Whitaker and Sharon Whitaker and on her husband side Giles and Penny Hurley and children; Van and her sister in law Gwendolyn Few.
