Betty Hupp
On behalf of HR Division Colleagues, University of Arizona
Longtime Tucson resident and author Betty Hupp died in her home January 30, 2020 surrounded by loved ones. She was ninety years young.
Betty’s greatest joy and pride in life was her family. Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, Betty married Air Force pilot George Hupp with whom she raised three sons and three daughters. Betty loved her life as an Air Force wife and mother, particularly the opportunity to explore new places and meet new people. Betty’s favorite Air Force assignment was Hawaii, bringing to it her own “Aloha Spirit.”
The family settled in Tucson after George’s retirement. Betty earned her degree in Interior Design from the University of Arizona. She worked for many years in the UofA’s Geosciences and Student Affairs departments.
During this second career, Betty made many new friends, including her great friend Marilyn Malone with whom she shared a passion for photography and tide pooling in northern Mexico. When Betty retired from the university, she and Marilyn collaborated on a book compiling and describing their beautifully detailed photos of the creatures they found in the tide pools – The Edge of the Sea of Cortez: Tidewalker's Guide to the Upper Gulf of California – which has been widely adopted as a text and guidebook for courses on the subject.
In 2013, Betty underwent transvenous cardiac surgery to replace a failing aortic valve. In honor of her brilliant cardiac care team and other doctors, and hoping even in death to contribute what she could to the science of non-invasive cardiac treatments, Betty has donated her body to the University of Arizona Medical School for study.
Betty had a passion for exploring new places with friends and family and sharing her beautiful photos of these adventures. She was enthralled by seashells and accumulated an impressive collection of them over the years. But her first and greatest love was her family – children, grandchildren, and those whom she grafted into her family by her loving, gregarious, and compassionate spirit.