Betty was born Betty Lou Prock to Edgar and Walsie Prock on November 16th, 1935, in Oklahoma and passed away on April 26th; 2024 in Saratoga, California with her sons Adlai Shawareb and Nadeem Shawareb by her side. She was born 10th of 13 children and raised on her family's 150 acre cattle ranch in Red Oak, Oklahoma. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Zaki Shawareb, who passed after 53 years of marriage. They are survived sons Adlai and wife Shauna, Nadeem and partner Alison, and grandchildren, Summer and Miles.

Betty excelled in school from the very beginning and stood out for her kindness, intelligence, and strong work ethic. Playing on the high school basketball team with her sister Maxine was one of her favorite pastimes. She earned the respect of not only her peers but also the teachers and the school principal. By the time Betty was in high school, she was the on-call emergency substitute teacher for the younger grades. If a teacher had an emergency, they would call Betty out of class to read books to the children and get them started on their lessons. As she approached graduation, her principal called her into his office to tell her about a scholarship for school teachers. He said she would be a very good teacher and recommended applying for it. Her next oldest sister Maxine, whom she looked up to so much, was in nursing school and Betty was going to follow her in her footsteps and become a nurse, not a teacher. He suggested that she visit her sister Maxine in nursing school in Arkansas the summer before her senior year to see if it was for her. After staying with her sister in Arkansas at the dormitory and working the summer in the local drug store, she returned home and successfully applied for the teaching scholarship. She was valedictorian of her High School class and went on to pursue her future career as a teacher.

After completing College several years later she took her first teaching job in Olathe, Kansas. The whole family was very proud. Before going on to a new career, transportation would be a must. Her Father Ed Prock, Papa, as all his children called him, took Betty down to the car dealership at the nearest town. Being a well-respected and well-known farmer in the area, he told them that his daughter Betty received a teaching job in Kansas, and they would be buying her a car and she would make the payments. He told her to pick out the car she wanted. With little more than his word and a handshake, Betty drove away in a beautiful, jet-black 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air.

After two successful years teaching in Kansas, Betty took a new job. This time teaching elementary school way out west in Brea, California when she would be introduced to her future husband, Zaki Shawareb. Invited to a dinner party by mutual friends, they may not have been aware that they were being set up on a blind date, but it worked. They fell in love, married, and moved to San Jose, California to begin their new life together. After both completing their Masters Degrees at San Jose State, they started their family. Having a career first and then starting a family was not the norm back then. She was very much a pioneer at the time, having strong beliefs and support for both women's rights and human rights. It was something not so common at the time, but for her, it was something that should be innate like honesty, kindness, and compassion.

Betty and Zaki loved to travel. Even with their young sons in tow they continued to enjoy traveling. Our family traveled extensively and visited amazing places many people could only dream of. In their later years, after successfully raising two sons, Betty and Zaki still enjoyed traveling, but slowed down a bit to enjoy their grandchildren, Summer and Miles. They both relished the frequent visits from their grandchildren who lived nearby and loved them so very much. Visiting and baking cookies with grandma was a common and much-loved activity by all of them.

Betty remained sharp minded until her passing. Solving the puzzles and answering questions on Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy was a nightly activity. Watching the Golden State Warriors reconnected with her love of playing high school basketball with her sister Maxine and she rarely missed a Warriors game.

As a mother and a wife, her dedication and love were unparalleled. When she embraced her role as a wife and full-time mother, one of her most beloved qualities was her patience. She will be remembered by those who knew and loved her for her beautiful welcoming smile when she greeted you. Whomever you talk to about Betty, you will hear the same words over and over to describe her. Kind, wise, caring, compassionate, thoughtful, and intelligent. Such an amazing woman who touched so many lives in such a wonderful way, Betty will be dearly missed by everyone fortunate enough to know her.

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