Betty Lou Uebel of Albany, Oregon passed away peacefully with her sons and daughters by her side at her residence in Mennonite Village, Albany. She was 98 years old.

Betty was born in Climax, Michigan, to Elgin Douglas “Ed” Moshier and Florence Belle Shaw Moshier. They met while working at the Post Cereal Company in Battle Creek, then married and settled there. Florence died suddenly when Betty was 3 years old. Deep in the Great Depression, her father struggled to find work and support her, so she lived with her grandparents on their farm in Climax for several years until Ed became a federal prison guard. He moved to Idaho to oversee prison road crews completing Highway 12 from Lewiston to Missoula through the wilderness of the Bitterroot Mountains. He soon met and married Ella ‘Mae’ LeBeouf, and they returned to Michigan to bring Betty to her new home along the wild riverbanks of the Lochsa River, Idaho. She grew up attending school in Grangeville (living with Mae’s family there) and Kooskia (living with her father and stepmother.) She spent her free time around the outpost camp in the beautiful forests 30 miles upstream of Kooskia. She loved gathering with the mothers and kids of the camp to swim, collect wildflowers and arrowheads along the riverbanks, and see all the abundant wildlife around camp. Her father and stepmother loved fishing and hunting, and Betty regularly enjoyed the fresh trout and venison dinners they provided.

After World War II, her father was transferred to other prison assignments. Betty attended high school in Richland, Washington, then moved with her family to Steilacoom and graduated high school there. After graduation, she moved out on her own to Seattle, starting night classes at the University of Washington; she was determined to get a college degree. She worked at several different jobs, including at Boeing Airfield. There, her co-worker set her up on a blind movie date with a handsome Army Air Force veteran, Everett “Marc” Uebel. She wore her beloved black leather ‘motorcycle’ jacket and blue jeans. Marc wasn’t so sure about that outfit at first, but other dates ensued. They courted by walking the beaches, parks and piers along the Puget Sound, soon marrying (10/15/1950) and then buying a little house in West Seattle to begin raising their family. After the birth of their two sons, Jeffrey and Clifford, Betty and Marc experimented with work and life in the New York City area; but they soon moved back west, settling for over 20 years in southern California (Long Beach, Los Alamitos and Fountain Valley.)

Betty quickly got to work completing her college degrees in education and teaching certification at Long Beach City and State Colleges, where she graduated Cum Laude. During that process, her family expanded in 1961 with the birth of their first daughter, Nancy Jo. (Marc attended a few of Betty’s classes to take notes while she gave birth!) She began regular substitute teaching at Rossmoor Elementary School when the family moved to Los Alamitos. She loved teaching and managed to juggle that while maintaining a great home environment, raising wild kids, and later providing elder care for both Marc’s and her ailing parents. She loved going outdoors with her family, hiking, camping, and birdwatching in the beautiful surrounding mountains, beaches, and deserts of California. She also welcomed and enjoyed caring for the ever-changing menagerie of animals (wild and domestic) that her kids brought home.

She had a special place in her heart for animals, particularly Siamese cats (last ones Casanova and Belle) and Marc’s favorites, Brittany spaniels (lastly Jingles and Tiffany).

Following the birth of their second daughter, Sarah Kathryn, Betty and Marc decided to leave the increasingly crowded urban area to be nearer to their families in their beloved Pacific Northwest. They decided on the Willamette Valley where Marc’s family resided. In 1974, they settled in North Albany on a small farm with an orchard, barn, and pasture to allow the kids to raise and enjoy horses, chickens, and cows. She was very proud of their large vegetable garden and the orchard of Royal Ann cherries and many varieties of apples that they annually produced and marketed around Albany. During this time, Betty substitute taught and worked as an elementary school aide, mostly at Oak Grove Elementary, while raising their two daughters. (Marc worked for Oremet, now ATI, as foundry engineer for 15 years before retiring in 1987.) Once the girls left home, Betty and Marc relocated to a smaller home in South Albany in 1992 and then moved to Mennonite Village in 2019. Marc passed away there on the winter solstice of 2022.

Betty was a hard-working but fun-loving woman, dedicated to her family, friends, and a beloved mother and wife. She loved education, art, cooking, reading and books. She volunteered for the Albany Public Library and attended classes at the Albany Senior Center for many years. She also loved travel, exploring almost all of the US states (including Alaska and Hawaii), Europe and Ecuador with Marc and the family.

She is survived by sons Jeff and Cliff, daughters Nancy and Sarah; their spouses Lesli, Tamie, and Tom (respectively) and seven grandchildren: Carly, Nicky, Ethan, Josh, Anna, Trinity, and Ben. Betty will be deeply missed by her family. May she rest in peace, knowing that she will live in the hearts of all those who held her dear.

AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home is handling arrangements (https://www.aasum-dufour.com/). A memorial service and celebration of life will be held graveside at Old North Palestine Cemetery next spring (date and time to be announced.) Memorial contributions may be made to the Albany Historic Carousel, OPB and/or The Nature Conservancy in care of the funeral home. Betty loved forests and trees, and the funeral home can arrange for planting a tree as a living tribute and reminder of her.