Betty "BJ" Becker

B.J. Becker was born in Springfield, OR and moved to Yakima with her family as a young child, attending St. Paul Cathedral School and graduating from high school at St. Joseph Academy. She worked at St. Elizabeth Hospital as a C.N.A. and loved her job, working for 43 years in the hospital, in home health care and in hospice.

She has now gone on to meet her parents, Peter and Elizabeth Tormaschy; her brother, Robert; her sister Jeanette and her sister Carol Anne, who passed away as an infant in 1938. She is survived by her sister Lorraine, brother-in-law Gaither and sister-in-law Karen; her children Colleen (and husband Randy), Rick, Jennifer (and husband Juan) and Ahnaryn (and husband Sandy); her six grandchildren Dustin, Derik (and wife Terri), Rachel (and fiancé Rogan), Cecillia (and husband David), and Marahya and Noah; and her seven great-grandchildren Rylan, Rielle, Hunter, Isabelle, Michael, Jack and Luca.

BJ’s Catholic faith was a pillar in her life, and she was a longtime member of Holy Family Parish. She started and taught the Divine Mercy class, was a sacristan for the traditional Latin mass, was a member of St Michael's World Apostolate and made rosaries to give to the youth and families of the church over her many years of service. She met many of her lifelong friends through her faith whom she held dear.

Her faith took her on many pilgrimages: to a papal audience in Rome with Pope St. John Paul II, to the Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal, and to France, where she prayed at the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes and the relics of St. Bernadette.

Holidays were a special time for her, Easter and Christmas being her favorites, carefully planning her decorations and events with her family. Christmas would turn into weeks-long celebrations with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Making holiday treats with the grandkids, decorating the tree, putting up holiday displays and the Nativity scene were great joys. She made sure the grandchildren learned the importance of the Nativity. She loved making her homemade butter cookies and decorating them with the family, along with lemon bars and so many other treats and feasts throughout the years. Mostly, it was about the simple joy of having her home filled with the love and laughter of family, whom she welcomed with a warm smile and a big hug anytime.

She always had projects she'd like to do, and decorating her porches with flowers and plants was a great springtime event that kept her busy late into the fall. She had her favorite chair on which to sit and enjoy the many birds and critters who'd visit while she enjoyed her coffee and a cigarette in the summer shade. She'd take old cans and pots and paint decorations to brighten them up for a plant or flower, or do paper crafts, making something unique and beautiful. Fall harvest from her garden was a wonderful time, with fresh corn, peas, tomatoes, squash, potatoes, beans, peppers and exotics all prepped, stored and canned for winter and spring eating.

She had a fondness for dogs and cats, caring for countless wonders over the years and making sure to help the strays stay fed as well.

Her weekly chats with her daughters were always a highlight of her week, catching up on the important or silly. One topic rolled into another and suddenly an hour would roll by until their hearts were filled with joy and goodbyes till next time.

In loving and fond remembrance of our wonderful mother, sister, grandmother, great grandmother and dear friend.

One heck of a lady.