Betty Foster passed away last Sunday. A memorial service will be held at New Life Church Riverfalls at 11:00 Saturday, October 6, 2007. Below is the obituary that will be in the Oregonian later this week:
Elizabeth Jane Foster, known to family and friends as “Betty” or “Betty Jane” passed away Sunday September 30th 2007 at the age of 83.
Born Elizabeth Jane Rinearson, January 9th 1924 in Bellingham, Washington to Clara and Leonard Rinearson. She was the oldest of four children. The Rinearson family resided in Portland for awhile, but primarily in the Gladstone and Jennings Lodge area on what was left of the original 1845 donation land claim of 640 acres, originally owned by her great grandfather Peter M.Rinearson.
Betty grew up with a love of the outdoors, enjoying many adventures camping and hiking with her family. One of her jobs during her college years was to work in a lookout tower in the Mt. Hood National Forest. She also loved reading, having difficulty putting down a book once she opened it. She was known for her tall stature (being 6ft. tall), and her fun and friendly nature.
Betty attended Gladstone school and then graduated from Oregon City High School in 1941. Following her fathers footsteps who was a principle in various Portland Public Schools, she went into education as well. She attended Oregon College of Education in Monmouth as well as Oregon State College, graduating in 1946. Following her adventurous nature she accepted her first teaching position in Hawaii, where she taught for two years. It was there that she met Harold Foster who was stationed there in the Air Force. They were married July 2nd 1949 in Ephrata, Washington. When her husband was stationed in England for a year, she taught school there as well. They returned to Ephrata in 1952 to begin a family. The first child, a daughter, Virginia Foster was born November 1952. In 1953 they returned to the Jennings Lodge, Gladstone area and added two sons to their family: Harold Jr. was born in February 1954 and Bruce was born in October 1956.
Betty taught in the Oregon City school district, primarily at Jennings Lodge School. She earned her masters degree in Library Science in 1974 from the University of Portland and then became a school librarian at Jennings Lodge School. She later set up the Candy Lane School Library and worked at both locations for awhile. In 1976 she became the Librarian at John McLoughlin School in Oregon City, where she worked until her retirement in 1985.
Betty grew up attending the Gladstone Christian Church, as did her parents, grandparents and children. She taught Sunday school there for many years. In later years she was an active member of West Linn Baptist Church, serving as their librarian after her retirement.
She was preceeded in death by her husband Harold Foster who passed away on January 2nd 2004.
She was survived by her sister Katherine Gabrielson of Ocean Park, Washington. And three children, her daughter Virginia Foster of Milwaukie, and sons Harold Jr. of Milwaukie, and Bruce Foster of Brightwood, Oregon. As well as seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
She will be greatly missed by her loved ones and all that knew her.
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