Helen Elizabeth "Betty" Giddings was born to Lee and Mary Giddings on February 19, 1921, in Albany, Oregon. She died quietly at home on Saturday, September 15, 2012, surrounded by family.
Betty lived all of her ninety-one years in Oregon. She graduated from Junction City High School at age 16 and attended college at the University of Oregon, where she participated in multiple sports. Her love of sports continued throughout her life. An inspiration to her family, she was a Charter Member of the Santiam Golf Course's Ladies 9-Hole Club and played until she was in her 80s. She also played volleyball regularly until she was 73. On the weekends, you'd likely find her watching college football.
Loran "Dale" Emery met Betty at a party where he was singing and she was playing piano. She had a car and graciously offered him a ride home. This lit the spark on a love affair that burned brightly for more than seven decades. Dale married "Betts," as he affectionately called her, on July 9, 1939. They built a life together that was centered around family and friends and shared hobbies. As a couple, they played bridge and danced, and formed a life deeply rooted in the Stayton community. They became well-known as huge supporters of and contributors to Stayton High School athletics, starting when their children were in school, and continuing until Betty's final years. They had season tickets to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes for 13 years. They also had season tickets to the Salem Concert Band. Trivia buffs, they never missed an episode of Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune. For the better part of a century, Dale and his Betts were inseparable.
Choosing to raise her children before making her foray into the working world, Betty began working for Santiam Memorial Hospital at the age of 44. She still managed to put in more than 40 years, retiring a mere two days before her 85th birthday. People who worked with Betty will always remember her warm smile, her unique organizational skills, and her incredible amount of knowledge, referring to her as a "human dictionary."
She had so many amazing qualities, but some of the things her family will remember most about her include her generosity and constant support, her contagious laugh, her intelligence and insatiable thirst for knowledge, the fact that she was never wasteful, and her unwavering positive attitude and sense of humor--never lamenting her body's failings and even cracking jokes with doctors right up until the end. Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma: we will miss you, but your sweet laugh will echo in our hearts forever.
Betty is survived by her husband of more than 73 years, Dale Emery, her sons, Clay (Kim) Emery and Larry (Nancy) Emery, her daughter, Darlene (Rich) Manning, 9 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren with another on the way, and three great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lee (1884-1970) and Mary (1885-1967), brother, Meade (1919-1931) and sister, Marilee (Giddings) Thompson (1926-2000).
The family would like to thank: Dr. Charles Stringham, Leslie Ward, Karen Schaefer, Terry Humphreys, Jan Cartwright and Santiam Memorial Hospital staff for their hard work and excellent care. We are eternally grateful.
To honor Betty's memory and her love of sports, her family has planned an upbeat Celebration of Life for Sunday, September 23rd, 12:30 p.m., at the Star Cinema in Stayton. Wear your baseball cap to support Betty as we recognize the exemplary life she led.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Stayton High School Baseball.
Serving the family, North Santiam Funeral Service Stayton.
Betty lived all of her ninety-one years in Oregon. She graduated from Junction City High School at age 16 and attended college at the University of Oregon, where she participated in multiple sports. Her love of sports continued throughout her life. An inspiration to her family, she was a Charter Member of the Santiam Golf Course's Ladies 9-Hole Club and played until she was in her 80s. She also played volleyball regularly until she was 73. On the weekends, you'd likely find her watching college football.
Loran "Dale" Emery met Betty at a party where he was singing and she was playing piano. She had a car and graciously offered him a ride home. This lit the spark on a love affair that burned brightly for more than seven decades. Dale married "Betts," as he affectionately called her, on July 9, 1939. They built a life together that was centered around family and friends and shared hobbies. As a couple, they played bridge and danced, and formed a life deeply rooted in the Stayton community. They became well-known as huge supporters of and contributors to Stayton High School athletics, starting when their children were in school, and continuing until Betty's final years. They had season tickets to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes for 13 years. They also had season tickets to the Salem Concert Band. Trivia buffs, they never missed an episode of Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune. For the better part of a century, Dale and his Betts were inseparable.
Choosing to raise her children before making her foray into the working world, Betty began working for Santiam Memorial Hospital at the age of 44. She still managed to put in more than 40 years, retiring a mere two days before her 85th birthday. People who worked with Betty will always remember her warm smile, her unique organizational skills, and her incredible amount of knowledge, referring to her as a "human dictionary."
She had so many amazing qualities, but some of the things her family will remember most about her include her generosity and constant support, her contagious laugh, her intelligence and insatiable thirst for knowledge, the fact that she was never wasteful, and her unwavering positive attitude and sense of humor--never lamenting her body's failings and even cracking jokes with doctors right up until the end. Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma: we will miss you, but your sweet laugh will echo in our hearts forever.
Betty is survived by her husband of more than 73 years, Dale Emery, her sons, Clay (Kim) Emery and Larry (Nancy) Emery, her daughter, Darlene (Rich) Manning, 9 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren with another on the way, and three great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lee (1884-1970) and Mary (1885-1967), brother, Meade (1919-1931) and sister, Marilee (Giddings) Thompson (1926-2000).
The family would like to thank: Dr. Charles Stringham, Leslie Ward, Karen Schaefer, Terry Humphreys, Jan Cartwright and Santiam Memorial Hospital staff for their hard work and excellent care. We are eternally grateful.
To honor Betty's memory and her love of sports, her family has planned an upbeat Celebration of Life for Sunday, September 23rd, 12:30 p.m., at the Star Cinema in Stayton. Wear your baseball cap to support Betty as we recognize the exemplary life she led.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Stayton High School Baseball.
Serving the family, North Santiam Funeral Service Stayton.
Helen Elizabeth "Betty" Giddings was born to Lee and Mary Giddings on February 19, 1921, in Albany, Oregon. She died quietly at home on Saturday, September 15, 2012, surrounded by family.
Betty lived all of her ninety-one years in Oregon. She graduated from Junction City High School at age 16 and attended college at the University of Oregon, where she participated in multiple sports. Her love of sports continued throughout her life. An inspiration to her family, she was a Charter Member of the Santiam Golf Course's Ladies 9-Hole Club and played until she was in her 80s. She also played volleyball regularly until she was 73. On the weekends, you'd likely find her watching college football.
Loran "Dale" Emery met Betty at a party where he was singing and she was playing piano. She had a car and graciously offered him a ride home. This lit the spark on a love affair that burned brightly for more than seven decades. Dale married "Betts," as he affectionately called her, on July 9, 1939. They built a life together that was centered around family and friends and shared hobbies. As a couple, they played bridge and danced, and formed a life deeply rooted in the Stayton community. They became well-known as huge supporters of and contributors to Stayton High School athletics, starting when their children were in school, and continuing until Betty's final years. They had season tickets to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes for 13 years. They also had season tickets to the Salem Concert Band. Trivia buffs, they never missed an episode of Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune. For the better part of a century, Dale and his Betts were inseparable.
Choosing to raise her children before making her foray into the working world, Betty began working for Santiam Memorial Hospital at the age of 44. She still managed to put in more than 40 years, retiring a mere two days before her 85th birthday. People who worked with Betty will always remember her warm smile, her unique organizational skills, and her incredible amount of knowledge, referring to her as a "human dictionary."
She had so many amazing qualities, but some of the things her family will remember most about her include her generosity and constant support, her contagious laugh, her intelligence and insatiable thirst for knowledge, the fact that she was never wasteful, and her unwavering positive attitude and sense of humor--never lamenting her body's failings and even cracking jokes with doctors right up until the end. Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma: we will miss you, but your sweet laugh will echo in our hearts forever.
Betty is survived by her husband of more than 73 years, Dale Emery, her sons, Clay (Kim) Emery and Larry (Nancy) Emery, her daughter, Darlene (Rich) Manning, 9 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren with another on the way, and three great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lee (1884-1970) and Mary (1885-1967), brother, Meade (1919-1931) and sister, Marilee (Giddings) Thompson (1926-2000).
The family would like to thank: Dr. Charles Stringham, Leslie Ward, Karen Schaefer, Terry Humphreys, Jan Cartwright and Santiam Memorial Hospital staff for their hard work and excellent care. We are eternally grateful.
To honor Betty's memory and her love of sports, her family has planned an upbeat Celebration of Life for Sunday, September 23rd, 12:30 p.m., at the Star Cinema in Stayton. Wear your baseball cap to support Betty as we recognize the exemplary life she led.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Stayton High School Baseball.
Serving the family, North Santiam Funeral Service Stayton.
Betty lived all of her ninety-one years in Oregon. She graduated from Junction City High School at age 16 and attended college at the University of Oregon, where she participated in multiple sports. Her love of sports continued throughout her life. An inspiration to her family, she was a Charter Member of the Santiam Golf Course's Ladies 9-Hole Club and played until she was in her 80s. She also played volleyball regularly until she was 73. On the weekends, you'd likely find her watching college football.
Loran "Dale" Emery met Betty at a party where he was singing and she was playing piano. She had a car and graciously offered him a ride home. This lit the spark on a love affair that burned brightly for more than seven decades. Dale married "Betts," as he affectionately called her, on July 9, 1939. They built a life together that was centered around family and friends and shared hobbies. As a couple, they played bridge and danced, and formed a life deeply rooted in the Stayton community. They became well-known as huge supporters of and contributors to Stayton High School athletics, starting when their children were in school, and continuing until Betty's final years. They had season tickets to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes for 13 years. They also had season tickets to the Salem Concert Band. Trivia buffs, they never missed an episode of Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune. For the better part of a century, Dale and his Betts were inseparable.
Choosing to raise her children before making her foray into the working world, Betty began working for Santiam Memorial Hospital at the age of 44. She still managed to put in more than 40 years, retiring a mere two days before her 85th birthday. People who worked with Betty will always remember her warm smile, her unique organizational skills, and her incredible amount of knowledge, referring to her as a "human dictionary."
She had so many amazing qualities, but some of the things her family will remember most about her include her generosity and constant support, her contagious laugh, her intelligence and insatiable thirst for knowledge, the fact that she was never wasteful, and her unwavering positive attitude and sense of humor--never lamenting her body's failings and even cracking jokes with doctors right up until the end. Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma: we will miss you, but your sweet laugh will echo in our hearts forever.
Betty is survived by her husband of more than 73 years, Dale Emery, her sons, Clay (Kim) Emery and Larry (Nancy) Emery, her daughter, Darlene (Rich) Manning, 9 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren with another on the way, and three great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lee (1884-1970) and Mary (1885-1967), brother, Meade (1919-1931) and sister, Marilee (Giddings) Thompson (1926-2000).
The family would like to thank: Dr. Charles Stringham, Leslie Ward, Karen Schaefer, Terry Humphreys, Jan Cartwright and Santiam Memorial Hospital staff for their hard work and excellent care. We are eternally grateful.
To honor Betty's memory and her love of sports, her family has planned an upbeat Celebration of Life for Sunday, September 23rd, 12:30 p.m., at the Star Cinema in Stayton. Wear your baseball cap to support Betty as we recognize the exemplary life she led.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Stayton High School Baseball.
Serving the family, North Santiam Funeral Service Stayton.
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