Bettie McLaughlin

February 19, 1926 – October 20, 2010

Bettie passed away on October 20 after a short battle with cancer. Born in Everett, WA., she grew up and went to school in Aberdeen where she and her brother Bob were raised by their Uncle Jess.

Answering the call of duty like so many others during WWII, Bettie labored as a riveter for Boeing, (Rosie the Riveter) in Tacoma, WA from 1944 to 1948. Adventurous in spirit, she moved to Portland, OR in the 1950’s where she worked for West Coast Airlines. She was married to Stanley (Jack) Lester from 1957 to 1971 and in 1960 they completed their family when they adopted their daughter Jacquie.

Bettie worked for Multnomah County Health Dept. throughout the 1970’s and later worked as a Teachers Aide at Lynch Terrace Middle School before retiring in 1989.

In 1976 she met the love of her life, Delbert McLaughlin and they were married on January 1, 1977. Deb and Bettie proceeded to spend the next 31 years doing many of the things that they loved, fishing, travelling in their RV, the yearly pilgrimage to Oktoberfest at Mt. Angel and 4 trips to Thailand. Their life together was full with family, friends and neighbors but it was their time together that they cherished the most. Deb passed away in 2007and Bettie missed him every day since.

She is survived by her brother Robert Towne of Spokane, WA and her daughter Jacquie Anderson, husband Tim and children Steffan Bergstrom, Hanna and Gabe; step-son Steve McLaughlin, wife Kathy and family; step-daughter Debi Hoffman and family.

Bettie will be remembered as a wife, mother, Grammie and friend, in a memorial service Friday Oct. 29th at 2:30pm, in Willamette National Cemetery.

Arrangements under the direction of Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home, Portland, OR.