Elizabeth "Betty" Joan (Whitmore) Berger

Elizabeth Joan “Betty” Berger, 84, longtime Kittitas Valley resident, passed away on Monday, May 20, 2024 at Garden Village in Yakima. Her funeral service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12 in the Evenson Memorial Chapel at Johnston & Williams in Ellensburg. Viewing will be from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11 also at the funeral home.

Betty was born on June 20, 1939 in Sunnyside, Washington to Del & Fern Whitmore. Her early years were spent growing up on the family wheat ranch outside of Bickleton, Washington and she graduated from Bickleton High School. She then made her way to Central Washington State College (now Central Washington University) where she met Don Berger at a grange dance. They hit it off and were married on July 26, 1958 and made their home in Kittitas. At the time of Don’s death in 2022 they had been married for 64 years.

In 1964, Betty and Don were blessed with their only child - Becky. When Becky started kindergarten, Betty went to work driving school bus and working as a custodian for the Kittitas School District. In “retirement”, Betty and Don worked a paper route for a while, “retired” again, and then once again started delivering papers.  They enjoyed their time together on their route for many years. She was also actively involved in many horse clubs in the valley, even after she stopped riding.

Betty was never without animals in her life - from the time she was a young girl with her horses to that fall she took in 2020 where her dog, Remington, was by her side. Unfortunately, that fall increased her complications from her dementia, resulting in her needing specialized care in Yakima, eventually moving to Garden Village where the staff loved on her daily.

Betty is survived by her daughter, Becky Bosch as well as many nieces, nephews and a large extended family and many friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Don; son-in-law Val Bosch; her parents and her siblings Ethel, Lawrence and Eileene.

Memorial contributions in Betty’s honor are suggested to the Spirit Therapeutic Riding Center, PO Box 953, Ellensburg, WA 98926 or online at www.spirittrc.com

Arrangements have been entrusted to Johnston & Williams of Ellensburg. Online condolences may be left at www.johnston-williams.com