Betty Plotz, known to many simply as BB, was born Sept. 3, 1946, in Denver and passed away Aug. 31, 2026, just shy of her 80th birthday.
BB had the soul of an old hippie. She believed in peace and love and in living life with an open heart. She was warm, generous, adventurous and a whole lot of fun. She had a high energy that was uniquely her own and a way of filling a room with love when she walked through the door.
BB grew up in Englewood. She spent time in Gunnison and Boulder for college before moving to Canada. She eventually returned to Colorado and settled in Leadville, where she met her ex-husband and began raising a family. She wanted to raise her children in a small town, close to the mountains and a ski area, and soon the family moved to Salida. That was the beginning of her roots in a place she would eventually call home.
During those years, BB became deeply involved in the community. She participated in events with the High Country Fine Arts Association, supported the Salida Aspen Concert Series and worked with other locals to launch the Salida SteamPlant Theater. In 1986, she oversaw the construction of the family house on Methodist Mountain and ventured off on the Great Peace March.
At the age of 50, BB went off to college at Colorado State University, where she completed her degree in liberal arts. She took immense pride in being a first-generation college graduate. BB returned to Salida in 2000. She joined a band and played the marimba, skied at Monarch Mountain, camped, spent time in the mountains, listened to live music and danced as much as possible. She was a writer and a lover of history. During these years, she spent time writing for local papers, as well as working with a local family with generational roots in the community to document their history and publish a book.
She loved bringing people together and often opened her home to friends and family, whether to celebrate the solstice, share the land for camping or simply gather around a bonfire and listen to live music.
In 2021, BB moved to Las Vegas, New Mexico, drawn by its history and the opportunity to slow down. She built a new circle of friends there, enjoying daily coffee and weekly lunches. She was never afraid of starting something new, no matter her age.
BB was the daughter of Loren and Louise Pace and sister to Mary Barton and Nancy Pace. She is survived by her daughters, Rebecca (Chip) Swan and Margot (Albert) Plotz-Rodriguez; and her grandchildren, Mackenzie Swan, Kaycee Swan and Xavier Rodriguez.
BB leaves behind a lifetime of music, dancing, laughter, adventure, peace, love and countless memories. She will be remembered for her energy, her generosity, her sense of adventure and the way she made people feel. She was one of a kind and will be deeply missed.
A celebration of BB’s life will be held in Salida at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 4, 2026, at the Salida SteamPlant Event Center. Friends and family are invited to come together to celebrate BB with love, music, laughter and a little bit of hippie spirit. Your presence is truly the only gift we need. If you would like to honor BB in another way, please consider a donation to Colorado Preservation Inc.