Betty Neary Alberts was born in California and later moved to Hawai'i as a child. Her mother was a teacher and worked for the Naval Air Station during the war. Betty grew up in Pa'ia, Maui, where she enjoyed climbing trees, going to the beach, and playing games with friends. She attended grade school in Pa'ia and later moved to California for college. Betty got married at the end of her junior year in college and had four children. Her oldest daughter became a teacher, her son pursued a graduate degree in mechanical engineering, and her youngest daughter worked for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Betty's husband was a scientist and author specializing in molecular and cell biology. She lived a peripatetic life, moving between London, Washington, San Francisco, and Hawai'i. Betty's life was busy, and she managed to cope with the demands and needs of her family and career. She also lived through the experience of a tidal wave in Maui in 1946.

Scope and Content Note
The oral history interview with Betty Neary Alberts covers various aspects of her life. It includes details about her birth in California, her early years in Hawai'i, and her family background. The interview provides insights into her mother's career as a teacher and her work at the naval air station during the war. Betty shares her experiences growing up in Pa'ia, Maui, engaging in activities such as climbing trees, going to the beach, and playing games with friends. She discusses her education, her marriage at the end of her junior year in college, and her four children, detailing their educational and professional pursuits. Additionally, Betty talks about her husband's career as a scientist and author, their extensive travel, and the challenges of managing family and career responsibilities. The interview also touches on Betty's recollection of a tidal wave in Maui in 1946 and the impact it had on the local community. 

Program Note:  
This interview is part of the Center for Oral History's project Tsunamis in Maui County: Oral Histories. Interviews from this project are available in the Center's ScholarSpace open access repository.

The Center for Oral History (COH), in the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, collects, documents, preserves and highlights the recollections of Native Hawaiians and the multi-ethnic people of Hawaiʻi. It produces oral histories and interpretive historical materials about lifeways, key historic events, social movements and Hawaiʻi’s role in the globalizing world, for the widest possible use.