Betty: It was stressful at times as a supervisor because I had to lock up and make certain that all of the work was completed. I put in many overtime hours, but I thoroughly enjoyed my position and doing the best job I can is part of my nature. I can handle the demands, and I have always gotten along well with people, especially in the service departments.
Betty said her home life was affected because her job took her away, and she was able to travel even more because she made excellent money. The employees were also given stock which was a good investment. But, the most important reason that she has always been happy is that she does what she wants and has self-satisfaction and independence. She does know that her standard of living was always higher than most. She always lived home with her mom, two single sisters, one married sister and the husband and child in a four story house.
Betty bought her first new car in 1951, and has always had new cars. She gives her cars away to members of the family, young or old--whoever needs it. Also, in 1951 Betty’s mother died. She was very proud of all of her children, especially Betty, because she fulfilled all of her dreams, and was definitely ahead of her time living in "a man's world."
Betty has had tragedies of losing brothers and sisters, and has taken care of siblings who eventually have died of cancer. Her family always does come first when she is needed. This is something she emphasizes. She and her sisters nursed their ailing siblings, never resorting to nursing homes, which was a promise each one had made to one other.
Presently, Betty travels and does speaking engagements about baseball. She has been interviewed and has been written about in books. She is very pleased with a new book, Dirt on the Skirt, by Dial Company. It is being used as required reading in many schools, and Betty may write her own book in the near future.
I asked Betty about her attitudes concerning life and advice. This is what she said:
First a person has to set goals and realize that education is first. If you enjoy what you do, you will be good at it. You will be fulfilled and you will benefit others and society. There are no limits in life, unless you, yourself, set them. There are cycles of fields that are ripe for jobs and happiness. I think that guidance counselors should apprise their students to the changing trends, and let the students see all the avenues open to them. Some students need a little direction and help in knowing how to get what they want and not be discouraged. I feel that I lacked in furthering my education by attending college, but I learned about life through unique experiences and applied them to make me the best person I think I can be.
Betty "Moe" Trezza is a celebrity. In our family, she is the famous person, a very good person, who didn't let any stereotyping change her goals. She never felt pressured to marry, she traveled alone or with groups, spoke her mind then and now, and because of her own positive self-esteem and confidence, is a self-assured, successful woman. Her identity has never been in question, and she assumed no role that she didn't want to. Her commitment was to herself, her family, and society. She was never one much for politics, as she stated early on in the interview. She voted for the person whom she felt would do the best job. She couldn't be swayed to vote for someone she personally didn't believe in.
Her supervisory job paid the same as the male counterpart. This was very unusual during these times, and she was pleased that the company also was ahead of their time.
In 1956, the median income of women was 2/3 that
of men,...pay was 70% that of males, even though they
often performed the same job as the men they were
working along side of (Oakley 1990: 299).
Her homelife dictated to a large degree the type of person she would become because she was constantly encouraged to become what she wanted to, and to question. Her mother, she felt, was very confident in supporting her in her baseball career. She did not want to hold her back at all. The proof also of her mom's influence is seen in the other eleven children. The boys and the girls were treated equally and all shared in the chores and duties. There were no male and female chores in their home. "Everyone did everything."
