PLAN Jeffco Loses Co-Founder Bette Seeland
PLAN Jeffco co-founder Bette Seeland helped launch the campaign for Jefferson County Open Space and was a pillar of PLAN Jeffco for 52 years.
By Vicky Gits
Bette Seeland, one of three co-founders of PLAN Jeffco in 1971, along with John Litz and Margot Zallen, passed away March 2, after a long illness.
Seeland’s tenure as the Secretary of PLAN Jeffco started at its founding and lasted until 2024, for 52 years.
Born in 1938, Seeland grew up in Zumbrota, Minnesota and attended Carleton College. She earned a master’s degree with a major in biostatistics and a minor in public health microbiology from the University of Minnesota.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years, David, whom she met on a ski trip. They married in 1961 and honeymooned in the Utah ski town of Alta. They had two daughters, Lisa and Sarah.
“Bette was patience personified. She was so good with newcomers on the board. She took time to welcome us, to orient us, to make us feel like we belonged…She was like a board mom,” said Michelle Poolet, current President of PLAN Jeffco.
Seeland was a key figure in the origination of Jefferson County Open Space in her role as a researcher and co-author of several studies sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
These studies formed the foundation of the movement that was to be ratified by voters at large in Jefferson County with the passing of the Open Space Resolution. The voters also approved a visionary one-half cent sales tax to establish and maintain the Open Space parks.
In 1971, she and Carol Karlin, another League member, got interested in saving mountain lands for the benefit of the general public. They were worried that access to the lands was being restricted and property was overdeveloped in general.
In October 1971, after a couple of early studies titled “Parks and Recreation” and “Planning and Zoning,” they asked League members if they would spearhead a citizens’ committee for the purpose of obtaining open space parks in Jefferson County.
After an historic meeting in Carol Karlin’s Lakewood living room, the citizens’ committee became PLAN Jeffco.
Bette was a member of the League of Women Voters for over 60 years. She served as president from 1969 to 1970. She was first VP, second VP, voter service chair, longtime secretary and membership chair. She was the league’s information source on candidates and ballot issues. She served as first VP in charge of all study and programming committees.
For many years she was the sole editor of the Jeffco Citizens Guide and documented every entry for accuracy with relentless diligence. Recently she served as member of the Immigration and Housing Team.
As the Secretary of PLAN Jeffco, she was known for her clock-like reliability, writing skills and thoughtful commentary. She spoke with a soft and articulate voice. She was polite but also influential.
“She was petite, unassuming and quiet, but oh so efficient and effective. When asked, she typically had a well-reasoned opinion, though she was seldom self-assertive in expressing it. She will be greatly missed,” said Jean Tate, Treasurer of PLAN Jeffco.
During the COVID years she adapted to appearing on the computer screen in our virtual Board meetings, but we never really saw her in person again.
About this time she produced a series of humorous educational columns under the pseudonym, “Miss Mountain Manners.”
Because of her fragile health she spent more time at home. But this setback did not diminish her participation in volunteer activities.
Bette loved travel and the outdoors. She and David frequently enjoyed camping, hiking and cross-country road trips in their VW buses and Porsches. The couple participated in 42 PCA Porsche Parades, with a group of vintage Porsche fans.
She traveled to Europe — France, England and Scotland, and South America with daughter Lisa in 2018. She survived a life-threatening six-week stay in the ICU in Dublin in 2014 after a mostly enjoyable Ireland trip.
She played the classical piano and was a longtime symphony season ticket holder. For fun she also painted mountain scenes in Idaho and Wyoming .
No service is planned. The family suggests that donations be made to the Jeffco Action Center, Jefferson County League of Women Voters, or PLAN Jeffco.
See the obituary at www.horancares.com.
The brass plaque which lists the founders of PLAN Jeffco, located at the Carol Karlin Overlook, Founders Trail, Elk Meadow Open Space Park.
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