Colonel
Bettie Edmonds is a native of Towson,
Maryland. She realized her talent as an
artist at a young age and was known by her classmates for her drawings. Later
in Towson High School,
she did some commercial poster artwork for friends and won several art contests
in pen and inks. Then suppressing her art interests, she embarked on a career
in nursing, medicine being traditional in Edmonds family. Her nursing diploma from Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore was awarded in 1950. In 1953, she joined
the Air Force Nurse Corps to see the world and stayed on for over 20 years in a
very satisfying and successful military nursing career.
While in the Air
Force she obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Washington University in St. Louis in 1962 and a Master of Science Degree in
Nursing at the University or Colorado in 1966. Later, she was the Nurse
Assignments Officer for the Air Force Nurse Corps at Randolph AFB, Texas. Culminating her career with the rank of
Colonel, she retired in 1974 to the quaint little German community of Bergheim
in the Texas Hill Country. There, with art subjects abounding, she began doing
pen and ink drawings again for the first time in many years.
Her ultimate
ambition was realized in 1980, with the publication of her first book, Along Country Roads ... in the Texas
Hill Country, Her pen and ink drawings of the many old homes
and unique buildings represented capture the spirit of history still preserved
in this beautiful section of Texas.
After 13 years, Bettie published her second book, Along
Country Roads II ... in the Texas Hill Country, Her pen and
ink artworks since 1980, reflect even more the
wonderful pioneer spirit of the area she loves.
Since retirement from the Air Force, Bettie has been very
active in events in Boerne, where she now lives, and Kendall
County. She has served as
Chairman/President and/or Member of the Board of The Boerne Area Historical
Preservation Society, Kendall County Historical Commission, Greater Boerne Area
Chamber of Commerce, Boerne Area Art League, Hill Country Women In Business and the Society of Retired Air Force Nurses.
You can find her, most mornings, volunteering in the
Historical Research Section of the Boerne Public Library and in the afternoons, at her drawing board
or attending some kind of meeting.
You can contact
Bettie Edmonds at –
(830) 249-8918