Tehachapi
Church of Christ
We Have Room For You In Our Hearts!
Derek and Betty Demus
Derek was born in Pasadena, California, and his family later moved to Pomona. Betty was born in Omaha, Nebraska, but her family moved to Los Angeles when she was a baby. They then moved to Carson, and later, to Pomona.
Derek was attending an electronics school, where he met Betty’s sister. She then introduced Betty and Derek in 1986. Betty had been serving active duty in the U.S. Army. Betty asked Derek to a military banquet, and they were finally married in 1990. They moved to Tehachapi the next year.
Derek and Betty have a son and a daughter who have not yet produced any grandchildren, but there’s plenty of time for that!
Derek retired after working as a corrections officer for 27 years. He holds a fifth degree black belt in Hapkido, and teaches martial arts. He has coached AYSO and school soccer for many years. You may also have seen him riding bikes in and around Tehachapi—sometimes on two wheels, and sometimes on a low-slung three-wheeler.
In addition to her military career, Betty has worked as a teacher and a medical lab technologist. She recently retired from a 39-year career with the US Army, including active and reserve duties. She retired at the rank of colonel! Her career included deployment in Kuwait, as well as time in Germany, and many other duties around the U.S. She has also coached track and field for the middle and high school teams, and coached and refereed AYSO Soccer for about twenty years.
Derek and Betty Demus
Bill and Pam Willingham
Bill was born in Valdosta, GA, and spent most of his growing up years in Alabama.
He graduated from Oklahoma Christian University in 1968, and after teaching school in Dallas, Texas and Pensacola, Florida, he came to Torrance, California in 1974 for flight training.
Pam grew up in Carson, California, and she and Bill met at the Wilmington Church of Christ. They were married in 1975 and lived in Lakewood, California, for almost two years before moving to Tehachapi in 1977.
Bill and Pam have four daughters and six grandchildren!
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Bill has been a flight instructor and has sold and delivered private planes. He also spent time as a corrections officer and a teacher at the prison. Most recently, if you bought a car in Mojave in the last 33 years, Bill may have helped you make that purchase.
As well as being a dedicated mom to their girls, Pam spent 27 years working as a Registered Nurse.
Bill and Pam have been very active over the years at Yosemite Bible Camp, taking groups of children and teens for week-long summer camp sessions.