Betty Louise Gibson

Betty was born in Iowa October 5th, 1931 into the great depression. She was raised on a farm with her grandparents and was a curious girl wanting to learn about the world through the radio, reading and her imagination as these were the only saving graces during these simpler times.

In the early 1940's, she moved with her mother and sisters to Colorado Springs and then to Pueblo Colorado where she graduated high school. She remained in Pueblo after graduation and worked at the Mt. Bell Telephone Company as a switchboard long distance operator, and through a function outside of work, met Vernon Gibson who happened to work at the same place! They married June 12th, 1955 and celebrated 68 years of marriage in 2023.

With 3 children in tow they moved to Tigard, Oregon in 1966 and she worked managing apartments to keep busy along with raising 3 small children. After their fourth child was born, she worked part time in retail at Lloyds Center in Portland. In 1973 she and her family moved to Kent, Washington. Soon after moving to Kent, she became employed at The Bon Marche in the wigs and millinery department. In the early 1980's her experience as a switchboard operator would come in handy. The Boeing Company, with origins in Seattle, Washington is where she put her skills to work on the last in-service corded switchboard which was manned 24/7 by operators connecting internal calls as well as the usual in and out phone traffic.

When at work, there were times between calls that she would use to sketch flowers and children along with writing poems about everyday things that would pop into her head. Driving to and from work she would indulge in her music, which always brought a smile to her face and at home, she would dance around to music doing things around the house.

She even would make silly songs about anything.....corn, laundry, baking...whatever would make a smile appear or a roll of the eyes as she would sing aloud.

She still maintained her appetite for books throughout her life with shelves full of various genres, yet her favorites were romance and murder mysteries.

She loved to explore & travel, beit to the Washington coast or when she traveled to the UK in the 1980's on the ultimate girls trip. Camping by tent was very short lived and RV camping was the favorite way to get away before retiring from Boeing. Once retired, taking the RV trailer in tow they would drive all over the states visiting immediate relatives and those that were discovered through genealogy which enriched their lives while on the road with new family to connect to and share their life.

Another hobby of hers that developed was photography and when traveling she realized she had an eye for it and loved taking pictures to capture life in its glory and splendor.

A Majority of her subjects were of natural beauty that was all around her, mountains, forests, oceans, flowers, meadows, etc. Many trips were taken where there was a request to pull over for a picture opportunity alongside the road.

She always had a sense of humor about her, quirky, whitty, silly and always doing something to get a smile. Forever she will be remembered.

Betty is survived by her husband Vern Gibson, her daughter Amy (husband Shawn, their two children Patrick and Shannon), Son Bruce (his son Jarrod), daughter Julia (her daughter Zoey), and daughter Gayle all of Washington State, her sisters Patricia of Arizona, and Sally of Colorado, and the many extended family members throughout the land.