Bettye Jeanne Butner Streiff

Bettye "Jeanne" Butner Streiff, 86, of Little Rock, died January 24. She was born on June 28, 1927 in North Little Rock to the late R.M.S. Butner and Carrie Maye Files. Jeanne received a B.A. degree in Theater Arts with a minor in English from Arkansas State Teachers' College (UCA) and a M.A. in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She married the late Ray E. Streiff Jr. in 1950, and they lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but returned to Arkansas upon retirement. Jeanne was a high school drama teacher until she retired in 1988. A caring and inspirational teacher, she was many students' favorite. She led her students to win numerous state championships for one-act plays. After retirement, she continued to act in the Little Rock Community Theater as well as doing T.V. commercials, voice-over jobs, and "Pretend Patient" work at UAMS. Jeanne was an energetic volunteer for many organizations including Channel Seven-on-Your-Side, Arkansas Arts Center, St. Vincent's Hospital and The Arkansas Food Bank. She and her late husband were passionate explorers who loved world travel--the more exotic and dangerous the location, the better. Jeanne is survived by brother R.M.S. "Michael" Butner Jr. and three children: C. Sera Streiff-Vena (George C. Vena) of Little Rock, Wolfram Streiff (Jackie Kong) of Los Angeles and Meghan Streiff (Brian Gibbs) of Melbourne, Australia. She is also survived by five grandchildren: Adrienne Bennett (Daniel Bennett), Elenore Vena, Beatrice Vena, George E.F. Vena of Little Rock, and Emmarose Driver of Los Angeles. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. this Saturday, February 1st. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 1818 Reservoir Road in Little Rock where she and her late husband were active members. Arrangements by Roller-Chenal Funeral Home 13801 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, Ark. (501) 224-8300. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the Sierra Club. Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal.