Betty & Al Kraft

Betty J. Kraft loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, friend, and hunter passed away on March 27th, 2025 in Spokane, Washington at the age of 82. She will be missed by everyone whose life she touched.

Betty was born March 30th 1942 in Seattle, Washington. She grew up in Yakima. She married Al (Elrane) Kraft in Spokane in 1961. Al’s USAF career took her to the Philippines and all 4 corners of the United States. In 1970 when Al retired from the USAF they settled in Vancouver, WA. In 1992 they decided to move to Spokane where they lived out the rest of their retirement years.

A woman of many talents. She sang with the Sweet Adeline's in Vancouver for several years.

She ran in several Spokane Bloomsday races, and in her mid-60’s completed the Portland marathon twice. She was a skilled gardener, a meticulous housekeeper and avid quilter. She loved the outdoors and passed on an appreciation of nature to her two sons, Harvey and James Kraft.

While living in Spokane she joined the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and decided to take up hunting in her 60’s. An excellent marksman, her rifle has an engraving that reads, “Dead Eye Betty”. She won a once in a lifetime trip for a safari hunt in Africa joined by Harvey and Al. The highlight for her was a one-shot kill of a kudu at 186 yards.

Betty generously donated her blood and plasma to Inland Northwest Blood Bank and hosted tea parties every Valentine’s Day for the phlebotomists with her delicious award-winning scones.

Survived by her sons Harvey and James, sisters, Pat, and Donna, four grandchildren, Katrina, Diana, Daniel, and Caitlyn, and two great grandchildren, Rowan and John, and friends that will miss her tea parties and wonderful stories. Her husband Al passed just 22 days after her on April 18th, 2025.

A service to honor her life and legacy will be held on May 2nd at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to a Hospice of Spokane or wildlife conservation group close to your heart.