Betty Jeanne (Ely) King passed away September 23, 2016 in Richland, WA. She was born on January 17, 1929 in Fargo, ND to parents Ruth Irene (Bayless) and Kenneth Charles Ely, Sr.

Betty migrated to Richland in 1945, graduating from Columbia High School in 1947. She later attended Easter Washington University between 1972 and 1976. Betty received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in education, History, and Social Studies, also Masters of Arts degree in Audiovisual Media and Library Science.

She was a substitute librarian/teacher for the Seattle School District from 1974 to 1976.

Betty worked for both Rockwell and Westinghouse of Hanford as an analyst and engineering research librarian from 1976 until retiring in December 1988. She was the head librarian for the Basalt Waste Isolation Project.

Betty was an active member of the Northwest United Protestant Church in Richland. In 1961 she was president of the Woman United of Richland, She was also active in Tri-City Parliamentarians (President); Regional Vice President and Treasurer for the International Training in Communications; American Nuclear Association of Hanford Retirees and Local Jazz Society.

Betty was well known for being a staunch Democrat. She was a member of the Benton County Democrat Party, President of Democrat Women of Richland (1961) and served as a state Democratic Committee Woman of Washington State. Betty attended her first State Democratic National Convention in 1960 where she met future Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson.

She said, the best moment in her life after having her two children was to look into John Kennedy’s eyes and tell him, “I am a 100% PROTESTANT for you!” In 1972, she worked for Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson at the Democratic National Convention. One of her duties was to go to Gov. Carter’s suite and obtain copies of his nominating speech for Senator Jackson. There his mother Lillian introduced Betty to her son Jimmy and daughter-in-law, RosaLynn Carter.

Betty had a passion for travel. She traveled through all 50 states and over 40 countries, throughout Europe and Asia, including the Philippines, Spain, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Japan and Mexico. Her favorite though was Hong Kong where she visited six times between 1978-1990.

She married Richard Trainor in January in 1949, divorced in 1970. Betty married Lloyd King in 1976, and was widowed in 1981.

She enjoyed watching baseball and tennis in person or on TV.

She is survived by her son, Rick Trainor (wife Susan); daughter, Janice Hammond (husband Zeke); seven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren; brother, Bill Ely and sister, Katherine Ely.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd King; parents Kenneth and Ruth Ely and her brother, Kenneth (Chuck) Ely, JR.

A Memorial Service will be held Tuesday, September 27, 2016 at 10:00am at the Northwest United Protestant Church in Richland.