BETTY CYPHERS

Elizabeth Warnock Cyphers, Betty to everyone she knew, passed away Sun., Oct.18, 2009, at her daughter’s home in Stanwood, Wash., after a short illness.

She is survived by her two sons and their wives and children: Gail and Pat Cyphers (Monica and Gailynn); Brian and Suzy Cyphers (Sam and Courtney); daughter and her husband and family, Rebecca and Dan Lewinski (Kylie and Camille).

Betty was born near Sekiu, Wash., on May 10, 1918, to George and Bess Warnock.

Quick-witted and rambunctious, Betty grew up with her younger brothers Geordie (George) and Bob (Robert) in and around the logging camps near Clallam Bay.

She attended the University of Washington, but left college to marry her high school sweetheart Howard E. Cyphers (Betty in time was granted her college degree in her late 70s!). Betty and Howard made their home first in Spokane, then in Richland, where Howard was employed at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.

Betty threw herself into homemaking with gusto and joined the Junior Women’s Club, eventually becoming president of her chapter and named woman of the year for her civic work. In addition to some seriously creative home decorating projects, she also made and decorated fabulous cakes, one which won her a new television set back when TVs were a pretty rare household item.

For a number of years Betty ran a very successful preschool, but in time went to work for the State of Washington — first for the Extension Service in Prosser, then for DSHS in Goldendale.

At age 60 Betty came back to Prosser to be closer to her grandchildren and extended family, and to manage a senior outreach program. She ran the outreach program so well that it became the model for similar programs across the state, and in addition to having her own radio spot once a week regarding senior issues, she was also appointed to the Governor’s Board on Aging.

During this time period Betty also pulled together what was needed to convert Prosser’s old telephone building into a senior center and helped develop a number of programs there, plus played a pretty mean kazoo for the senior center’s Happy Time Band. Betty retired shortly afterwards, but was called out of retirement a few years later to oversee the design and building of a new, larger, senior center for the city. In 2005 Betty pulled up stakes in Prosser and came to Stanwood to live near her daughter. Mobility issues hampered her getting out and about, but she was occasionally able to volunteer at the Stanwood Senior Center’s thrift shop. Other times she could be seen driving around with her daughter viewing the Northwest scenery and cracking jokes.

Her grandchildren have been inspired not only by her kind-hearted generosity, but also by the stories she shared with them of the Good Ol’ Days. Her deep appreciation of the music from the Big Band era, and of course her incredible cooking ability (especially her take on mac’ n’ cheese!) are all significant influences.

Thanks Mom, and thanks, Gramma, for everything— especially the love!

A celebration of Betty’s life is planned for later in 2010.