BETTY JEAN TURNBOW EDGAR

Betty Jean Edgar, age 93, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, passed away quietly, returning to Heavenly Father on January 31, 2014.

Betty was born Nov. 4th 1920, to Auttor Paul and Eva Ann Smith Turnbow in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1939 she married Lee Edgar, the man of her dreams.

Another dream came true when their marriage was solemnized Dec. 2003 in the Washington Columbia River Temple. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and taught Sunday School for many years.

During the early years of her marriage, with 2 children in tow, she traveled throughout the United States with her husband while he worked for the US government.

Betty's first job was a messenger for Auerbach's Department Store and later as a presser in a dry cleaning shop in Salt Lake City. After moving to Richland in 1947, she went to work as a hostess, at The Dutch Mill restaurant. In 1950 she became a medical receptionist and spent over ten years with eye physician/surgeon, Dr. Leo. Davis. Always a master at multi-tasking, she continued to work and trained as a medical assistant at Columbia Basin Jr. College in the evenings, transitioning to a position with Hanford Environment Health Foundation where she remained, retiring in 1985.

There was never a dull moment with Betty and she was always doing a project and being involved in the community. She loved singing and in the 50's, belonged to community choir known as "The Treble Clef". She was a troop leader for the Girl Scouts, who were recognized for varied service projects. Under her leadership the scouts designed, built and painted large animated Christmas decorations, which hung in Downtown Richland until 1958. Each year her troop helped celebrated Atomic Frontier Days by designing and building floats for the parades.

Before and after helping her grandchildren during their elementary years, she served as PTA president for Jason Lee Elementary School, on Richland District PTA board and was a golden recipient of the Golden Acorn Award. She also served as the HEHF Retiree Assoc. Chair Person.

She had a passion for learning, was a successful cake decorator, loved gardening, ballroom dancing with her husband and could play the piano by ear, played on a bowling league for years and at 50 started learning to play the drums. She traveled at every opportunity. She was known for never letting "the grass grow under her feet". She was, "a mover and shaker"! While in her 80's, before the break of day, she was found shoveling snow off her roof. Her biggest problem was getting down. But of all her accomplishments she cherished being a wife, mother and grandmother.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Lee of 65 years, two brother's Leonard and Shirley Lee Turnbow, and granddaughter's Arah and Amy Martin. She leaves brothers, Robert and Paul Turnbow, daughter's Janice Martin Ted, Karen Miles, grandchildren; Gerry and Corey Kincheloe Temple, Scott, Melissa, Anne and Chris Martin Hilary, Ryan Gross, Pamela Gross Knighton Ron, 11 great grandchildren and 4 great great grandchildren.

Extended family in Utah, California, Washington, Iraq and Saipan.