Elizabeth P. “Betty” McDonald, 91, formerly of Heppner, died peacefully at the Haven House Retirement Center in Fossil, Oregon, from natural causes on Sunday October 29, 2017. A funeral mass will be held on Monday, November 6, 2017 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church with concluding service and interment to follow at the Heppner Masonic Cemetery.
She was born on March 26, 1926 in Heppner, OR, one of seven children of William and Catherin “Katie” Brennan Cunningham. She grew up and attended school in Heppner, graduating from Heppner High School in 1944. Following high school, she worked as a bookkeeper for J.C. Penny’s and as a clerk in Phil’s Pharmacy drug store.
She met Lewis Leo McDonald of Hardman during this time and they were married on June 23, 1946 in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Heppner. While Lewis worked in logging, Betty began working for the State of Oregon Adult and Family Services in Heppner. She worked for many years, only taking time off to raise her children and then returning to work in 1957 in the Heppner, Boardman and Hermiston offices to which she commuted daily for many years while living in Heppner, finally retiring in 1988.
Betty and Lewis raised two children, Sherrill McDonald, who passed away in 1984 and Sandy Ordway of Spray. She greatly enjoyed her grandchildren, Robby and Robin Ordway, both of Spray and Rhonda McDonald Roberts of Colfax, Washington as well as great grandchildren, Franklin and Dori Ordway and great-great grandchildren, Wyatt Ordway and Riley Roberts.
Over the years, Betty enjoyed bowling, playing pool, crocheting, knitting, walking every day, going to lunch with her lady friends and especially watching baseball on TV. She always had an open house for out of town family while living across from the courthouse in Heppner and raised peonies for the family to use for decorating graves on Memorial Day. She was very active in the St. Patrick’s altar society, helping with activities for many years.
She is survived by her daughter, Sandy, grandchildren Robby, Robin and Rhonda, great grandchildren, Franklin and Dori and great-great grandchildren, Wyatt and Riley as well as her last living sibling, Bob Cunningham of Ontario, OR and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Lewis in 1969 and her son, Sherrill in 1984 as well as siblings, Bill Cunningham in 2002, Mary Blettell in 1989, Kay Cox in 1965, Helen Moyer in 1948 and Rose Hams in 1972.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Patrick’s Church, PO Box 633, Heppner, Oregon 97836 or to the donor’s choice of charity.
Sweeney Mortuary of Heppner is in care of arrangements.
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