Betty Jean Heaps Dodge, 63.
On Monday, Feb. 2, 2009 , Betty Jean Heaps Dodge, precious wife and mother, passed away after a long battle with cancer. She was 63.
B.J., Jeanie and Boo are all nicknames friends and loved ones gave Betty as she was dear to many. Betty mastered everything she did in life. Her house was always clean, and homemade food was served at almost every meal including homemade bread.
Betty sewed many different things including western shirts for her husband and outfits for her grandchildren. Her quilts made from left over material warmed our beds and her crocheted dish clothes washed our dishes.
Betty was as a hard a worker as you could find. She worked alongside her husband, Shane, to build two houses and knew how to operate any kind of power tool she picked up.
She was a licensed hairdresser for many years, helping to raise six children.
Betty lent a helping hand to anyone who needed it, stranger or not. Throughout her life she enjoyed riding horses, golfing and bowling. She was an excellent dancer with many enjoyable memories of the country and western dances attended with family and friends.
Betty left us with a precious gift, an autobiography written and published of the many humorous experiences in her life, entitled “You Go Girl.” We will hold dear to our hearts the many wonderful memories of the smiles and laughter she created everywhere she went, including the hospital.
Survivors include her husband, Shane Dodge of Bonners Ferry; sons Pete and Scott Dodge, both of Bonners Ferry, Michael Dodge of St. George, Utah, and Clint Dodge; daughters Jennifer and her husband, Kevin McLeish, and Angela and her husband, Rich Brown, all of Bonners Ferry; mother, Betty LaRue Heaps of Pleasant Grove, Utah; brothers David Heaps and his wife, Margaret, and Eddie Heaps, all of Pleasant Grove, and Jeff Heaps and his wife, Kay, of Lehi, Utah; and sister Barbara Walters and her husband, Mark, of Pleasant Grove.
Betty also is survived by grandchildren Zachary, Dustin, Kiley, Jodi and Tyler Dodge; Brittany, Racheal, Mason, Hailey and Tristan McLeish; and Shane, Chase and Casey Brown.
Other survivors are great-grandchildren Kay Dodge and Kamero Kersavage; brother-in-law Dahl Dodge of Rathdrum; sisters-in-law Evelyn Wilkinson of Riverton, Wyo., Marilyn Mecham and her husband, Lynn, of Vernal, Utah, LaRue Hooley and her husband, Reed, of Bear Lake, Idaho, Georgia Spear and her husband, Ed, of Mesa, Ariz., Ellen Mallinson and her husband, Bob, of Santa Clara, Utah, Cheryl Orton and her husband, Howard, of Pleasant Grove and Arvilla McInnes and her husband, Dan, of St. George.
Betty was preceded in death by her father, Gerald Alvey Heaps; in-laws George Arthur and Martha Ellen Dodge; and brother-in-law Dewey Wilkinson.
A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday at the Church of Christ in Bonners Ferry. Condolences may be sent to bj4137@yahoo.com