Betty Lou Conner Sansom was born in Hutchinson, Kansas, on January 27, 1935, to Marion Conner and Goldie Triplett Conner.  Because of the Depression, the family moved between Missouri and Tennessee many times before settling in Richland, Washington in 1948.  Betty graduated from Columbia High School (now Richland High School) in 1952.  After high school, she worked for a year at Hanford as a secretary to pay her own way to college.  She attended Brigham Young University for one year.  On September 10, 1954, she married the love of her life, Ralph Douglas ‘Doug’ Sansom in Richland, Washington. On September 14, 1954, they were sealed for Time and Eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple.

Betty stayed home and together they raised their family of 6 children.  Over the years,  promotions for Doug meant many moves for  the family.   With all the moves, they also had some of their children’s friends  who stayed with their family for many years, and we still think of as our family, Margaret Voie Huleatt and David Thomas.  

Doug’s first transfer with Bonneville Power and family was in 1967 to Midway, Washington, a very small unincorporated community of about 72 people near the Vernita Bridge neighboring Vantage, Washington.  In 1969, Betty was recruited as the substitute bus driver in Midway.  Betty found she liked driving the bus. Many years later, when the family moved to Vancouver, she continued driving  a bus for the Vancouver School district.   She found the balance of a job as a bus driver was good for a mother of 6 children.

After moving to Walla Walla, Betty got a job as a secretary at the college inside the Walla Walla State Penitentiary.  In addition to working there, she was able to attend classes herself.  With a few additional classes, Betty was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of hers — to get her own college diploma, which she earned  from Eastern Washington University after many years of work towards it.

After retirement, Doug and Betty bought 60 acres outside Goldendale, Washington.  They built their dream home, which the family lovingly referred to as ‘The Compound.’  Health issues with Doug eventually prompted a move back to Vancouver.  Betty continued to live there for a few years after his death, until she moved back to Tri-Cities to be closer to family and friends there.  Betty’s health necessitated a move to Brookdale Assisted Living, where she lived happily for several years, until being locked down for COVID made her living alone difficult.  Her family moved her back to Serenity Adult Family Home in Vancouver, where she received the individual care she needed.  We thank the staff there for the love they showed mom during the last year.

Betty was a very good dancer.  Dancing was something that had been forbidden to her earlier in her life by her father.  Together, Betty and Doug loved to jitterbug.  At dances, they won many informal contests and loved dancing together for years.  Betty played basketball and softball in high school.  She was a voracious reader, reading many genres and topics.  Travel was also a passion for Betty, and that continued after she was widowed.  Betty and Doug adopted many furry children and had many spoiled dachshunds through the years.  Later in life, she was also blessed to connect with her cousin, Thelma Owens from Tennessee.  Their loving, strong bond of friendship only ended with Thelma’s death.   Betty loved people and visiting.  Anyone who visited with her got a smile and usually a story or two about her family. 

Betty was proceeded in death by her loving husband, Ralph Douglas Sansom, her parents, Marion Conner and Goldie Ruby Triplett Conner, her husband’s parents, Ralph Duncombe Sansom and Mazie Thomas Sansom, her sister LaRee Conner Pratt and her husband Donald Pratt, her oldest daughter, Sharon LaRee Springer, and grandson Conner Douglas Springer. She is survived by her children: Susan Jahn (David), Shanna Lou Calhoun (Scott), Sharlene Stevenson (Richard), Todd Sansom, and Troy Sansom, 15 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Now Betty and Doug are united for Eternity, dancing  without pain or disabilities.  

She will be truly missed by many friends and family, and especially her children.

Visitation will be held on Friday, March 10th at Einan’s Funeral Home from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be at the LDS Church at  895 Gage Blvd., Richland at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, March 11th. She will be buried in the family plot at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Richland following the services at the Church. Einan’s Funeral Home is in charge of services.