Friday, March 29, 2024

Betty (Kelley) West

August 19,1923 - January 18, 2020

Posted

We celebrate on Saturday the life of Betty (Kelley) West. A lifelong resident of the upper Leavenworth Valley, Betty goes on to join her parents, William Ollie and Mabel Kelley, three sisters, one brother, son Gary and loving husband, Russell "Bun". She was born in Peshastin on August 19, 1923 and passed away at her home on January 18, 2020. While Betty remembered working hard on her family’s Peshastin orchard throughout her childhood and spending many days up at Fish Lake with her parents, one of her favorite memories growing up was coming into town for the dances. She commented that she would even walk into town for a dance if she had to; “she loved to dance.” Betty married the love of her life, Russell “Bun” West in 1948 and raised six children in Leavenworth. While she was known for walking around the ski hill loop every day with her dear friend Bette McMahon and raising a garden to help feed her family, her greatest accolades came from anyone who was lucky enough to enjoy her cinnamon rolls or any various baked gifts she so expertly produced from her wood-fired Monarch cookstove in the earlier days. Betty looked forward to the planting of all her spring flowers which she loved tending to all summer long. She was well known for the vast array of seasonal decorations in her yard. She seemed to have a love/hate relationship with the many deer that would nearly live in her yard as she would love to feed them apples but got mad at them as they ate her beautiful flowers. You may have seen Betty in recent years walking with her son, Jake, and feeding Milkbones to the neighborhood dogs. Betty loved to crochet and over the years gave afghans to all the family and many friends.  

Betty is survived by her sons, Mike West (Nancy), Jake West (Debbie), Kenneth West (Paula) and Cory West, her daughter Sally Garber (Wade) and daughter-in-law Patty West and Jody West. Betty had eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Her siblings were Nita West, Frances Brender, Bud Kelley and Peggy Wilsey. The celebration of life was held Saturday, January 25 at 1 p.m. at the Leavenworth Methodist Church on Evans Street.  

Please express your thoughts and memories on our online guestbook at jonesjonesbetts.com. Arrangements are by Jones & Jones – Betts Funeral Home.