Bettylou Marie Smith

Bettylou was born on May 31st, 1927, to Lenard Maple and Lettie May Ritchie in Milwaukie, Oregon. She grew up with her big brother Frank and her big sister Alicia, and then five and a half years later little brother Jack. She had a half-sister, Irene, and a half-brother, Lenard, that she spent time with as well. She had a pet bunny that she walked on a leash.

She sang on the radio at a local station in Milwaukie when she was just a little girl. She graduated from Milwaukie High School. She touched so many lives with her beautiful voice throughout her entire life. She was a gifted gardener and she spent every moment she could working in her gardens. A labor of love, receiving a flower, bouquet, starter for a plant or potted plant was her gift to many in her adult life.

She married Marius Tilden Christensen on August 29th, 1945, in Klamath Falls after falling in love partly through letters during the war. They moved to San Diego where he was stationed. When they moved back to Oregon, they started a family with daughter Linanne. Soon to follow was son, Gary. They were expecting a third child when there was a fatal accident at her husband’s workplace and she lost her love Marius. Family and friends helped her through this tragedy and Bettylou had their second son named for his father, just three months later.

After some time she met and married Wallace Martin Smith on August 19th, 1955. He had two sons, Ken and Don, and they blended their families. Wallace and Bettylou had their daughter, Laura Lee, and lived in Pleasant Valley with their children for several years. They had horses, chickens, dogs, cats, and her beautiful gardens full of flowers, berries, and vegetables. She raised miniature Dachshunds and some were rare and registered. They called their place, “The Whispering Willow Pony Acres”.

4H, Girl Scouts, school activities, PTA, tar papering the roof, helping the animals with birthing. You name it, Bettylou could do it. She had a broad spectrum personality, and she was kind, caring, and compassionate. She was also very competitive and could be quite feisty in her determination to win or be right. A lot of personality and spunk could come out of that tiny body!!

When her daughter Linanne decided to go to nursing school after High School, Bettylou decided to go with her. They went through Nursing School together, and both graduated top of their class. This began a long nursing career for her. She was employed at several local hospitals with many years at Portland Adventist in the EKG Department. After retiring from there, she continued to be a charge nurse at two local retirement homes. She was so fulfilled and happy with her career. While working at her nursing career, she also did home parties and sold Princess House Crystal and Parklane Jewelry. She was quite the saleswoman.

She had a strong faith in God, and was active in church her whole life. Always singing in the choir, for special occasions, and was involved in other church functions. Later in life, she became an Elder at Midway Christian Church, and she had many responsibilities which included going out and giving communion to those who could not travel.

She loved being in the outdoors and seeing nature. Camping and frying up fish that were caught at many different lakes were a couple of activities she enjoyed. Later on, the camping trips were made in the motor home. Sometimes the whole family would meet at the beach and camp all around where the motor home was parked. She loved to cook up a seafood feast! Catching crab in the boat and cooking them on the dock at Nehalem bay with her son in law Arlo was a favorite.

Her beloved big white house on the hill was her haven. She shared this home with Wallace for 40 years. He passed away in 2006. The gardens and animals continued, at one time there was a backyard full of ducks! Fish tanks, birds, and the beloved dogs and cats were always a part of her world. She loved sharing her backyard with the squirrels and birds, having many feeders for them to fight over. For the last three years, watching the birds at the feeders her son Gary had put outside her window was popular with her roommate and staff. It attracted some really rare and beautiful wild birds. She loved that!

The big white house sold in 2009. It holds so many memories for family and friends. All of the gatherings, love, laughter, joy, sorrows, and tears of life that filled that house will stay with many.

We will forever hold Bettylou in our hearts, she is at rest now.

She is survived by her children, Linanne Starke and husband Bill, Ken Smith and wife Sandee, Don Smith, Gary Christensen, Morrie Christensen, and Laura Lee Davis and husband Arlo, as well as her grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.

She is also survived by her brother, Jack Maple, in addition to her nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great great and beyond. There are many other family members and friends that loved her dearly as well.