Betty Lou Davis was born to Fred and Hilda Burkhardt on May 25th, 1930, in North Dakota. In 1943 when Betty was 13 years old, along with her parents, 6 sisters and 2 brothers Betty’s family of 11 loaded up the old Chrysler and moved to Montana. Betty attended school in Montana and later earned her diploma in Hillsboro Oregon. In 1945 Betty met Ralph Davis while he was working on a ranch in Luther Montana. They were married on October 1st, 1946, in Columbus Montana. Their two older sons Leslie and Dennis were born in Montana.
In 1949 they moved to Oregon where Ralph worked on the railroad and the family lived in Cochran Oregon near the town of Timber. From 1951 to 1964, Ralph and Betty lived in Tillamook on the Trask River. They logged timber and operated a shake mill that manufactured roofing materials. Two more children were added to the family; Danita in 1951 and Charlie in 1957. While her children were young, Betty was a stay-at-home mom, always helping with the family business and supporting all the family ventures. In 1964 the family moved to Hillsboro to help care for Ralph’s dad after his mother passed away. Betty went to work for Tektronix in 1964 and worked there 20 years until she retired in 1984. In 1984 Betty and Danita started a bindery business where she worked for the next 23 years when they were not traveling. Ralph was employed by Loy Clark Pipeline and retired in 1992. Now they were free to travel about the country in their Airstream Trailer!
Betty and Ralph enjoyed their traveling all over the country with the Airstream Club. Ralph’s brother Allan and wife Laura brought them into the club, and they were hooked. They traveled until around 2010 when Ralph was diagnosed with Brain Cancer, and they could no longer travel. One memorable trip was with Tami and her three daughters, on a six week long road trip across 9 different states. Grandma made the trip memorable with teepee campouts, camping meals, stories and stopping at special interest points along the way. In the 70’s Betty discovered she had an artistic side and enjoyed oil painting. The kids have several beautiful paintings to remember her by. She also loved scrapbooking and making cards for the veterans.
Betty endured several hardships during her lifetime; her son Dennis died in a military plane crash and son Charles died in an auto accident both were in their 30’s. Her husband of 64 years, Ralph, died of Brain Cancer in 2011. She also endured two homes burning to the ground during her adult lifetime. Betty was a very strong woman. Through it all, she never lost her faith in the good of this world and the people she surrounded herself with. Betty spent the last few years before the pandemic, enjoying her time at the senior center and with her family and friends.
On October 12, 2022, Betty lost her long battle with COPD and ended her journey here on earth. Certainly, Ralph, Dennis and Charlie were waiting at the gates to welcome her home. Betty is preceded in death by her husband Ralph W Davis, sons Captain Dennis E Davis, and Charles G Davis, her parents Fred and Hilda Burkhardt, Three sisters and two brothers. Survivors include her children; son Leslie Davis, daughter Danita Davis; grandchildren Tami Davis, Tim Davis, RW Davis II, Monique Crunelle, Stephanie Moe, Jeff Boomhower and Bradley Eudos. Great Grandchildren; Paige Robison, Libby Anderson, Kacie Willcuts, Ethan Crunelle, Kees Crunelle, Makayla Davis, Fisher Moe, Skyler Breit and Kelsey Boomhower. Great-Great Grandson; Cannon Jones Anderson, and her Sisters: Ella Lorash, Florence Young and Vinola Grimmitt.
You are invited to gather at Tami and Joe’s home after the service to share memories. 80 NW 341st Avenue Hillsboro OR 97123
