Obituary: Lavigne, Betty Lou
Age 92
Betty Lou Kay was born in 1922 in Chewelah, Washington.
She lived with her grandmother, aunts and uncles and enjoyed a rich family-centered life at their home near the city park, while her mother worked in Spokane, WA to help support the family.
Betty Lou’s fondest childhood memories included making snow angel’s on her way home from school, eating corn on the cob with her uncle Pat and, most of all, her life-long romance with Gordon LaVigne.
Betty Lou enjoyed skiing with Gordon and his family.
She was a member of the first Chewelah Ski Club and competed for the club.
After graduating from Jenkins High School, she attended Washington State College where she raced as the first woman on the ski team and was named the Outstanding Woman Athlete of the Year, for the WSC Evergreen.
She was awarded a letter by WSU and was honored as the first woman to compete for WSC and was featured as a guest speaker at a special event sponsored by WSU in 2007.
Betty Lou married Gordon LaVigne while Gordon, a member of the US Army Ski Troops, was stationed at Camp Hale, Colorado.
After the end of WWII, they returned to their home in Chewelah where they raised a family, were active members of the ski club and taught skiing for many years.
When their two sons were grown, they lived in the desert southwest.
Betty Lou enjoyed traveling and meeting people.
They returned to Washinton state and lived at Black Lake, near Colville before retiring in Kettle Falls.
After losing Gordon, Betty Lou moved to Vermont, and lived with her son, Steven.
Betty Lou is survived by her sons, Randy and Steve, daughter-in-law Susan, grandchildren Jon-Paul and Leta-An and her great-grandchildren Ava, Alexis and Aiko.
A graveside service will be held July 11, 2015, at the Chewelah Memorial Park Cemetery at 1 pm.
Memorial donations requested to Habitat for Humanity.
rememberbettylou@gmail.com