Betty-Lou was the light of her parents lives; H. Loren and Lucille (Blaska) Thompson having lived in Chicago, Illinois eventually settling in Portland, Oregon in 1945. The last five years have been in Seaside, Oregon with daughter, Piper and son in-law Jimmy in “her” wing of their home.
Betty-Lou graduated High School from Niles Township in Skokie, Illinois and entered National College of Education in Evanston at 17. Betty-Lou met her best friend Bobbi in grade school and they exchanged handwritten letters to each other every week until Bobbi passed ten years ago. When Betty-Lou loved she loved for life.
Betty-Lou met Raymond Hare when they were both 14, they married in 1945 at nineteen and had three children together, divorcing in 1966 they remained friends until her passing, Betty-Lou never remarried. Forever grateful for all she loved and met on her journey of life.
Betty-Lou had a very spiritual upbringing which sustained her her entire life. Raised as a Nazarene until the age of 12 and becoming a Methodist until her passing. Betty-Lou was a member of both the First United Methodist Church of Portland where she was very active in Women United and Ruth’s Circle until moving to Seaside in 2013 where she had the privilege of being welcomed with open arms into Seaside United Methodist Church.
Betty-Lou instilled her love of volunteering to her children being a stay at home Mom and involved in her children’s lives with Boy Scouts, Camp Fire and PTA, and did not drive until the age of 40! Betty-Lou was a chaperone for Miss Oregon 1959 and continued to be a patron of the Miss Oregon Scholarship Program, she now has become another “pageant angel”. Having not held a paying job since she was 19, in 1967 Betty-Lou became an executive secretary until her retirement in 1983.
Our Mom was the epitome of class her entire life, Betty-Lou was a strong intelligent woman who would do anything for her family, truly beautiful on the inside as well as out. Those of us who were blessed to share in life with Betty-Lou are richer for it and she will be missed, another on of our angels watching over and guiding us.
Betty-Lou is survived by her children, Stephen (Rusty d.2008) Hare of Portland, Dana (Steve) Phillips and Piper (Jimmy) O’Brien of Seaside. Grandchildren & Great Grandchildren; Tiffany Phillips (d.1988), Meghan (Rob) Roy and Rylee Stacey and Joseph O’Brien of Richland, Oregon, Adam (Siobain) and Rowan Sauve of Austin, Texas as well as her step-Grandchildren Moira (Micah) Pierce and Geoffrey (Jaime) Ryan & Reed Thompson of Washington State, and extended family Warren, Charlotte and Albert (Hilary) Cook of Portland, Oregon.
Betty-Lou’s family is at peace because of our “Mom/BL/Missie/Gammy/Gigi” is at peace and once again with her parents.
At Betty-Lou’s request there will be no service, a private inurnment was held at Finely Sunset Hills Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Betty-Lou’s honor to her Granddaughter Tiffany Ann Phillips Memorial Scholarship Foundation PO Box 1099 Seaside, Oregon 97138 (501c3 Oregon Scholarship Foundation).
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18