Betty (Westley) Bradford, 69

Betty Bradford was born on July 21, 1947, in Bowman, North Dakota, to Harry and Ione Westley.

She passed away of heart failure Dec. 6, 2016, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center surrounded by her loving family.

Betty spent her early childhood in North Dakota as part of an extensive family, enjoying the adventures of small town and farm life. When she was 9 years old, the family relocated to Kalispell where they made many friends and took advantage of all that the beautiful outdoors had to offer.

After graduating from Flathead High School in 1965, Betty married Gary Bradford, moved to Tacoma, Washington, and started a family. As a stay-at-home mom, she kept a tidy house and beautiful yard, the kitchen stocked with homemade cookies and cakes, and the kids busy with all sorts of fun activities. She enjoyed having the “Kool-Aid house” where all the neighborhood kids liked to play.

After returning to the Flathead Valley in 1979, Betty worked for several years at H&R Block and 26 years at Rosauers. She loved spending time in Glacier Park and at Flathead Lake — especially during storms. With her can-do attitude and seemingly limitless energy, she could make or fix almost anything. Every year she baked a vast array of delicious Christmas cookies that she happily shared with people around town and even across the country. Betty spent a lifetime caring for others — her parents, kids, grandkids, friends and pets. She simply left everything better than she found it. We will love and miss her forever.

Betty is survived by her children, Dan (JoAnn) Bradford of Lakeside, and Chris (Steve) Williams of Auburn, Washington; grandchildren, Heather and Nathan Bradford and Natalie and Danielle Williams; siblings, Jack (Joanne) Westley and JoAnn (John) Stewart; and nieces, Sue Seeger, Katie Aune and Heather Malone.

An informal celebration of Betty’s life will take place on her 70th birthday, July 21, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Mission View Terrace Beach, 256 Lakeshore Drive in Lakeside.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Wings Regional Cancer Support, the American Heart Association, or the Conrad Mansion.