Obituary of Betty Jean Hanson Clark

Betty was born on January 3, 1924 at 3:15PM in Yellow Medicine County, Clarkfield, MN to her father George Bernhardt Hanson and mother Alma Tholine Hanson. She was the second child of six children. She is survived by two sisters, Marcelle Okerman and Lois Waller, who reside in Minnesota and South Dakota, respectively. Her three brothers Glen Hanson, George Hanson and Alden Hanson predeceased her. Betty grew up in the small town of Clarkfield, MN. She loved school and was a very good student. She played clarinet in the high school marching band, was elected president of her student council, and graduated Salutatorian of her class in 1942 from Clarkfield Senior High School. In late summer of 1942, Betty moved to Minneapolis, MN with her best friend Rhode Iverson where she started working at North Western National Life Insurance Company. In the spring of 1943, Betty and Rhode heard Boeing was hiring and they both decided to quit their jobs and move to Renton, WA where Betty was hired on at Boeing in their tool room. In February 1945, Betty met Clyde (Cliff) M. Clark, a sailor in the Navy who had just returned from the War and was stationed in Bremerton. In June of 1945, Betty quit her job at Boeing and returned to Minnesota to be her sister Marcelle’s Maid of Honor. After the wedding, Betty returned to Renton. She and Cliff were married on November 23, 1945, at Renton Lutheran Church, and they lived at the Cedar River Park Apartments in Renton. At that time, Betty was payroll clerk at the Federal Housing Authority. In 1948, Betty and Cliff moved to the Fremont District in Seattle where Cliff opened his first Barber Shop. Betty took a job in 1949 as payroll clerk and cashier with Central Oldsmobile in downtown Seattle until she got pregnant with Greg and quit in August of 1952. Betty gave birth to her only child, Gregory C. Clark, in December of 1952, and didn’t work again outside the home until the fall of 1956 when she took a job with Albertson’s grocery store. In October of 1950, Betty and Cliff moved from their Fremont apartment and bought a home in the Greenwood District of Seattle where they lived until 1960, when they bought and remodeled a home in the North City area of Seattle on Serpentine Drive. In August of 1964, they found a new home in the Richmond Beach area of Shoreline. Betty lived in this house for the next 29 years. Betty began a long real estate career in the year of the Seattle World’s Fair - 1962. She worked for several offices over her 39 lucrative years. They included: Soundview Homes, Western Motels Real Estate , John Davis Real Estate, Edgerton Real Estate, Key Finder’s, Sunset Realty, Value Realty, Bonnell Realty, Crescent Realty, Rede Realty, Town and Country Lakeside Property Inc, Advance Properties, and Fireside Homes. She loved working with people and helping them find a new home that made them happy. She lived for her job and worked countless hours for her clients. In the end of her real estate career, Betty worked referrals exclusively, and was well liked. She retired with honors in 2001. One of the things Betty enjoyed the most was trailer camping in the summer. She also enjoyed fires in the fireplace at night, watching TV, reading the Sunday paper and magazines, and participating in a bowling league. Betty and Cliff enjoyed going to Reno every couple years. She loved to play the slots and roulette, and was pretty lucky too! In Cliff’s later years, they took a cruise to the Caribbean, and traveled in their Chevy “Get-A-Way” van to several parts of the US. They especially enjoyed visiting Minnesota and Betty’s family. Betty and Cliff had several dogs over the years, but they were particularly fond of their little Lhasa Apso, “Barnie”. To them, he was member of the family. Betty was widowed in 1990 when she lost Cliff to cancer. Betty’s son Greg graduated from Shoreline High in 1971, received a degree from the University of Washington in Civil Engineering in 1977, and moved to Tacoma to work for Public Works for 30 years. Greg married Laura in 1979, and they gave Betty two grandchildren, Paul and Amanda. Paul now has his PhD in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology. Amanda graduated from the nursing program at Pacific Lutheran University, and is an RN working at Children’s Hospital LA in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. After a difficult eye surgery and complications from Parkinson’s disease, Betty sold her Shoreline home in 2003 and moved to a Seniors’ apartment complex at Parkside West in Auburn to be closer to Greg and his family. In 2007, Betty needed more help with daily tasks and moved across the street to Parkside East Assisting Living. She had a small apartment there and had round the clock assistance with lots of activities for her to do. However, her Parkinson‘s led to balance problems and multiple falls in the summer of 2009, and Betty moved to a higher level of care facility. In January of 2010, Betty moved to the Hallmark Manor Nursing Home in Federal Way. She very much enjoyed living at Hallmark, as she had wonderfully caring nurses and a fantastic Hospice team for assistance. We want to extend our thanks to Joyce Peterson, Betty’s high school classmate and life-long friend. Joyce visited Betty almost daily, and her compassion, time, and friendship meant the world to Mom. Thank you, Joyce! God bless you! Betty passed away on December 28, 2012. She is survived by her son Greg; two grandchildren, Paul and Amanda; and her two sisters, Marcella and Lois.