Betty Charles

Betty Charles and Pat Zalac at Amen Corners

“Betty is a friend to the end…never glum” is what the Reflector staff said about Betty Charles.  By the time she graduated this was how most of us perceived her.  She fit in with everyone.  Always a warm smile, always a happy thought

“I really felt out of place the first day of Freshman class,” she says.  She had come to  to GHS from St. Rose with a small group of students who did not go on to Ursline in Youngstown.  “It was like everyone around me knew everyone else and I knew only a handful,” she says.  “It really felt strange.”

High school came and went in a flash for Betty.  In June of 1960 she graduated and a few days later signed on with the Ohio Bell Telephone Company Business Office in Youngstown.  “They insisted I start right away.  I did not even get a week off after graduation,” she says.

“Ohio Bell was a very special place to work,” Betty says as she explained the professional training each Bell employee went through.  “Many people work for companies who do not adequately train their staff and the result is a staff who works to about 70% of capacity.  Bell trained well and demanded 96%.  Betty had a 34 year career with Ohio Bell.

In the early 70’s a mutual friend introduced her to Jim Kravec who worked for the City of Youngstown.  They fell in love and married in 1973 and moved to Austintown.

They had one son, Jim.  Today Jim is on Staff at Saint Elizabeth’s hospital along with his wife Cindy also a doctor.  Both are specialists in Internal Medicine.

Young Jim and his wife have two children, Jim who is 4 years old and Sarah who is 2.   “Being a grandparent is Great,” Betty exclaims.

Volunteer work is done at St Christines Church in Cornersburg where she is on the festival committee, collection committee and office volunteer..  

Betty is also works at the election polls in her district in Austintown.  “My son loved politics when he got out of high school,” she explains.  “He became a Democtratic Committman at the age of 18.  When it was time to go away to school he volunteered me to become part of the Democratic Committee,” she says.  “I did it for a while but still work the polls.”

Betty and Jim enjoy Myrtle Beach.  They visit there in October and May, in the shoulder season.  “It is great, we walk for miles on the beach,” she says. 

Each year they look forward to attending a few football games at Notre Dame, her favorite team.  “We make a great fun weekend out of it,” she says.

Their other form of entertainment is the slot machines.   Betty and Jim enjoy casinos.  “It is just the penny slots,” she quickly adds just so one does not get the wrong idea.  She and Jim have gone to Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Niagra Falls and nearby Pittsburg to try their hand at “Lady Luck.”

Betty Charles, a friend to the end, is always with the Amens Corner Gang which meets the last Tuesday of each month.  It really is a great evening.  Try it sometime.