Betty (Johnson) Holcomb

March 5, 1923 – January 23, 2024

A celebration of Betty's life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 24 at St. Alban's Episcopal Church, 1730 Hill SE, Albany, OR 97322.

Betty was 100 years old when she died on January 23, 2024, in Albany, Oregon. She was born in Felida WA, the only child of Charles A. Johnson and Hattie (Perkins) Hooker Johnson. In addition to her parents, Betty was preceded in death by three older half-sisters, and their children, who were raised with Betty.

Betty started school while living in a logging camp near Oregon's Smith River. The family worked a farm near Vancouver WA through the Great Depression, then moved to Ridgefield WA where she graduated high school. She worked as a telephone switchboard operator in Ridgefield and at Kaiser shipyards in Vancouver during WWII. She married John L. Holcomb in 1942; they divorced in 1964.

After moving to Albany in 1960 she worked in retail, then worked for 18 years at OreMet, first in the X-ray department, then pioneered as the first woman to staff their tool room. She retired in 1986.

During her 38 years of retirement, Betty traveled and enjoyed tours of Europe and the American West. She was active in the Albany Rose Society, Friends of the Library, and Episcopal Church activities. She made a second career of house and pet sitting, which she greatly enjoyed.

Her survivors include son, Charles Neil Holcomb (Nancy Treneman) and daughter Joan Meyer (Martin Meyer); also 4 grandchildren, James and John and Cory Holcomb and Megan Meyer-Gould; also 9 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandson. Great-nephew Michael Greenfield was a special part of "Auntie B's" life; sharing escapades and updating her on various great-great-great nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, Betty requested memorial donations be made to Fish of Albany (1035 2nd Ave SE, Albany OR 97321) or website fishofalbany.com (click DONATE) or to St. Alban's Episcopal Church (P.O. Box 1556, Albany OR 97321).

Internment took place at Willamette Memorial Park in Albany, in a niche overlooking the lake. AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home handled the services.