Obituary: Sontgerath, Elizabeth A. “Betty”
Age 86
“Betty” May 13, 1928 ~ July 3, 2014 Born to Emmaleta Sims Kelly and Albert A. Kelly in Spokane, WA.
The fourth of seven children, she was named Elizabeth Ann, but known to her family and childhood friends as Betty Ann.
She attended St. Ann’s Elementary School in the same grade as her future husband of 66 years, Arthur C. Sontgerath.
In the later grades, he toted her home from school on the back of his bicycle.
Their transportation became more sophisticated over the years, including a yellow and white Ford station wagon, block-long Buick, and black Cadillac.
In the end, they settled on a sensible Hyundai crossover.
Betty spoke fondly of the modern home her father had built on East 19th when she was ten, with a panoramic view of the valley, and Mount Spokane in the distance.
It was while living at this home that she was shot in the leg while strolling down the sidewalk with her girlfriends, by a neighbor man, a colorful character in Spokane history.
Her father, a second-generation state legislator, passed away when she was 12, and the family moved to what was then home to the Kelly Gardens on East Sprague.
Her grandfather, Albert A. Kelly, Sr., a member of the state legislature, and proprietor of the gardens, watched over the family.
Betty recounted that her younger siblings became playmates with the children of Japanese families who were assigned to the Kelly Gardens during the World War II internment.
Betty graduated from Marycliff High School, and remembered the day Art and a friend appeared and shepherded her and a friend off campus before the end of the school day.
Such highjinx.
After graduation, Betty went to work at the Old National Bank and, in 1947, married Art.
With the help of his father, they built a small home near his parents they quickly outgrew.
They moved to a two-story home on East 18th, on a street populated by other large families, one with 11 children, another 13.
Eventually they settled further east on 18th, in a seven-bedroom home that accommodated all nine of their children.
Betty was active in St. Peter’s Parish, where her children attended school.
Among other things, this required ironing a prodigious number of Peter Pan collar blouses, and pleats in uniform jumpers and skirts.
She wanted her children to attend college, and frequented the Altamont Library where everyone got an armload of books.
She was a lifelong avid reader, with a keen interest in politics, social issues and world affairs.
She attended college vicariously through her children, with great interest in their studies and campus life.
Like other mothers of the time, she put a “meat and potatoes” dinner on the table every night (including homemade dessert), braided and pin-curled her daughters’ hair, polished white high tops for the little kids and saddle shoes for the big kids, made maternity clothes and doll clothes, found craft projects in the Ladies Home Journal, belonged to the Altar Society, took the bus downtown for a rare shopping day, talked on her party line, and washed, dried and folded a million diapers.
Maybe a billion.
Before Art came home from work, she dashed into her bedroom to smooth the front of her housedress, and put on fresh lipstick.
At the same time, Gloria Steinem had nothing on her, when she came along in the sixties with a women’s liberation agenda.
Betty was, in many ways, a woman ahead of her time.
She was known for her sense of style.
She put together her clothing and accessories with care, wanting to achieve a squeaky clean and understated look.
Like her own mother, she was an intensely private person.
Although one might think being a mother and caretaker of nine children could not be topped on her list of achievements, her best trait was her intense desire to listen to anyone who would tell her their life story, their latest struggles, most recent achievements, or just a piece of good news.
Her knack for honestly listening and caring, along with the ability to make one feel heard and cared for, was unmatched.
Over the years, she worked as a runway model for the Crescent department store, a Child Advocate for the Guardian ad Litem Program, Customer Service Representative at the Nordstrom Concierge Desk, and Office Manager for the Fernwell Building.
Betty was preceded in death by two of her children, Karen Wheeler and A.C. Sontgerath II.
She is survived by her husband, Art; and children Susan Brandeberry (Mike), Dick Sontgerath (Melinda), Jeana Campbell (Larry), Sally Clark, Jodi Whiteman (John), Monica McCormick, and Patsy Jacoy (Tom).
Her brother, Larry Kelly of Spokane also survives her.
She and Art have 21 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
A private family gathering will be held at a later date.
Remembrances may be made to a favorite charity.
Art Sontgerath’s current address is: c/o Brandeberry, 5639 NE Keswick Dr., Seattle, WA 98105.