In Memory of

Katherine "Betty" Elizabeth
Dzaich

1929 -
2018

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Anderson's Tribute Center
1401 Belmont Avenue
Hood River, Oregon
UNITED STATES
97031

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Obituary for Katherine "Betty" Elizabeth Dzaich

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Life Story for Katherine "Betty" Elizabeth Dzaich

Katherine Elizabeth Dzaich “Betty” passed away on August 6, 2018 at the Parkhurst Place in Hood River, Oregon with family by her side. Katherine was born on January 19, 1929 and was 80 years of age at the time of her passing.

Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother passed gently in her sleep from complications of a stroke and end stage Alzheimer’s. She was continually cared for by family, the loving staff of Parkhurst Place and Heart of Hospice, thru the journey to her ascension.

Betty was born prematurely, to Doss and Mildred Brown on a cold winter day, at home on the farm, in Woodbury New Jersey, January 19, 1929. She was so small that to keep her warm they placed her in a shoe box padded with soft cotton and placed her by the kitchen’s warming oven.

Betts to her brothers Nelson and Alison “Bud,” grew up in Woodbury, and Mickelton, New Jersey as her father was a share cropper farmer. She graduated in 1946 from Paulsboro High School. She often told us that she walker 2 miles to ride the bus 1-mile up hill and had to walk 3 miles up hill in the rain and snow to come home. Her jobs included feeding the chickens, gathering eggs, feeding the pigs and bringing in the milk cow…often getting chased up a tree. She would have to wait until her father came out to find her because she was gone too long; therefore she had a dislike of eggs, and at intervals, chicken and cows.

Growing up she spent most summers with her Aunts Katherine and Elizabeth at the Shore.
After graduation she received a scholarship to a Quaker nursing school in Philadelphia Penn. She later continued and finished her education for her diploma in nursing in New York City. She loved her time in New York City working in the hospital as a scrub nurse and with her nursing friends going to see rodeos at Madison Square Garden. She told her daughters of her escapades during her time there and about attending cowboy parties with exciting escapes down the fire escape! Along with other adventures she took with her pals.

She graduated in 1950. She worked in a local hospital until she received a call from her best friend Matzie Forsyth who convinced her to move to California in 1952. Mom hated snow, cold and the winter so this was a great adventure for her. She worked in a local hospital and Matzie introduced her to her husband’s best friend, Matthew Dzaich. Mike and mom dated and fell in love. As the story goes (from mom) she told dad if he didn’t marry her she was moving out of state. Katherine Elizabeth became Mrs. Matthew Dzaich July 18, 1953 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Glendale, CA and honeymooned in Big Bear Lake, California. Dad knew he had someone very special to share a full and loving life with that would be full of love and humor. His little sucra and honey bucket.

They resided in Glendale, California from 1953 to 1955 when they purchased their first home in La Crescenta, California. They thrived in La Crescenta for 28 years, having 3 spunky daughters. The family traveled across the United States by car every 2-4 years to visit family in upstate New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Tennessee. These were educational and memorable adventures and the family saw most of the US and Canada. Mom very creatively made sectioned activity areas, in the car, for each child, that were filled with new wonders every day.

Betty worked for Glendale Memorial Hospital until she retired at 55. She was a surgical nurse, nursery and prenatal nursery RN, and Med Surge Supervisor. At the age of 50, she returned to Chapman College and graduated obtaining her MSN. It was a proud day for the family after they had seen her work thru her schooling and advance to a Nurse Educator.

In 1983, Betty and Mike moved to Mt Hood, Oregon to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren. They lived there for 30 years.

Betty was a talented woman. She was a seamstress making matching outfits for the whole family, for holidays, thru out their childhood; Bluebird and Campfire Girl leader; classroom volunteer; a talented and experimental cook who was self-taught, as she was not allowed in the kitchen growing up. She created a variety of dishes including rubber bouncing meatballs and her “a little bit of Betty” specialties where she exchanged ingredients with often unusual replacements creating lovely banquets.

She was a talented author and poet in writing and with free-flowing spoken word. She was a member of the Hood River Art Club, prolific painter in multimedia, winning many blue ribbons and selling paintings. Betty was also an avid gardener of vegetables and flowers, canning and freezing her bounty; ESA sorority member, raising funds for college scholarships in the valley; and she and her husband created many items with Mike’s woodworking and her painting for homes, yards and her grandchildren.

The memories and stories created by love will bring laughter and warmth to we who remain. Betty’s spirit, teachings, mom’isms and talents will be heartily carried further thru her daughters, children, grand and great grandchildren for an eternity.

Betty is survived by her sweetheart of 65 years Matthew; her daughters, Lisa Dzaich McGill, Sue Dzaich Pounders, Janet Dzaich Davis; her “sons”, son in laws, Joe Pounders, Chris Davis, Archer McGill and their children; grandchildren, Matthew Fagan, Frances Fagan, Kiyah McGill, Nicholas Pounders, Jodie Reynolds, Corie Foster, Logan Davis, Jeromy Davis, Kristin Davis Jared Davis; great grandchildren, Emily Foster, Hudson Foster, Quinn Reynolds; sister-in-laws, Mrs. “Nelson” Marianna Brown, Mrs. “Alison” Shirley Brown; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews (>24 she considered her family) whom she adored from coast to coast, with her large heart and generous hospitality.

Services are planned for 2:00 p.m., Friday, August 10th, 2018 at Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations) 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031. Graveside Rites will follow at Pine Grove Butte Cemetery (2687 Van Horn Drive Hood River, OR 97031).

Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.