The Reverend Bets Wienecke—deeply admired as a collegial mentor, especially to young women in ministry—died peacefully at her home in Carpinteria, California, on 28 December 2017, aged 81.

She was “a pioneer … who inspired six of us to become ministers and counseled countless among us in her many years in the parish,” recalls the Rev’d Carolyn Price. “She modeled for us what it is not only to live, but to die with intention, beauty, courage, and most of all, with love.”

Elizabeth Wienecke was born on 22 December 1936 in Evanston, Illinois, to Eliza Maurine Rittenhouse and Robert Henry Wienecke. As an army brat, Bets attended 19 schools before graduation from George Washington High School in Alexandria VA. Moving with her family to Okinawa, Japan, shortly thereafter, she met and married William C. Gourley Jr. (1955). The couple settled in Santa Paula, CA, where they had three children: Ann Michelle (deceased), William, and Elizabeth Ann.

Bets eventually resumed her own education, earning a B.A. in law and society from UC Santa Barbara in 1975 and an M.A. in educational psychology counseling from Cal State Northridge in 1980. Her marriage ended in 1976, and in 1982 she married Peter Haslund. With growing commitment to religious life in the Santa Paula UU congregation, and inspired and mentored by the Rev’d Marjorie Leaming, Bets headed off to the Claremont School of Theology, earning her M.Div. in 1985.

Ms. Wienecke was ordained on 25 May 1986 by the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara. After three years (1987–90) as extension minister to the Live Oak UU Congregation (Goleta, CA), that congregation settled her permanently in 1990. In 2004 they named her Minister Emerita.

At her death, Bets was survived by spouse Peter Haslund, sister Lynnie Wienecke, children Elizabeth and Bill, stepchildren Melitta and Christina Haslund, and five grandchildren.