Betty Rose Thornton, born January 21, 1926, died May 31, 2024, at a well-lived 98 years old.
She was born the youngest of four siblings. Betty went through the Depression and most of WWII as a schoolgirl in Wapato, Washington, being proud that she was the only one in her family to graduate from high school. She was always proud that even though her family was very poor, her mom always had something to eat.
Having met Sgt. Frank S. Ritchie, also from Wapato, they married, having an only child, Gary, in 1945. For the next 17 years, Betty held many jobs, including packing apples. She also maintained the home while her husband went to college on the GI Bill. Once, while shopping for a birthday present for their son, they came back with a new car!
Betty took classes at the nearby Junior College in Yakima, got all As and became a bookkeeper and office manager. During this time in Buena, Washington, there was a lot of camping, highlighted by a trip to Yellowstone, huckleberry picking, fishing and water skiing. Although she never mastered slalom skiing, it was fun watching her fall in while trying.
Her husband, Frank, passed away in 1962, after a long illness. For the next several years, she was a busy woman, working for an accounting firm, owning a small grocery store for a short time and seeing her son through high school and off to the University of Washington. Then, through a friend, she met Oscar Thornton, a well-known and respected man from Oroville, Washington. He had an orchard and also was very involved in the running of his local warehouse. Also, he was active in the Legion, Grange (he was the Grange Insurance Agent) a fraternal organization and recently widowed, he came with five children, with the oldest, Jim, in college; Rae Jean and George, at home and the two youngest daughters, Kathy and Lisa, with other families.
Oscar and Betty married in 1967. She did her best with her new family while she helped with the orchard, kept the books and was involved, along with Oscar, in Grange activities and rituals for many years.
Betty and Oscar found time to travel, on tours, to Costa Rica and to Australia. They bought a motorhome, traveled widely, became snowbirds and eventually got a permanent place for the winters in Tucson, Arizona. Unfortunately, Oscar’s health began to deteriorate, so a decision was reached to sell the orchard and a mother of all yard sales was held and they moved to Oroville, where they owned a small mobile home park on Highway 97.
Oscar passed away and Betty was now twice a widow. The rest of her life she spent in Oroville, Federal Way, Washington, Tucson and finally Tonasket, Washington to be near her son.
Time was then divided between Tucson and Tonasket. She traveled extensively to many parts of the U.S. with friends from Tucson. A veteran traveler, even she finally tired of the hassles of air travel, and having given up driving due to failing eyesight, she even gave up snowbirding, settling in Tucson.
However, when you’re 98, your health can begin to betray you and so it was with Betty. Many times, she had said that she might like to make it to 100, as did her mom, but it wasn’t meant to be. Although mentally strong, and razor sharp, her body, especially her heart, failed her, and she died, well attended and cared for by the staff at North Valley Hospital. (Many thanks to you from her family.)
Betty desired that there be no services nor memorials for her. May Betty Rose Thornton forever rest in peace as daughter, sister, wife, mother and friend. Vaya con Dios.
Bergh Funeral Service and Crematory in care of arrangements
