Betty Anne Nielsen

Betty (Woods Forsyth Miller) Nielsen passed away Wednesday June 8th in Newport Oregon, with her husband Andy Nielsen at her side. She was 91 years young. Elizabeth (Betty) Anne Woods was born October 11, 1924 in American Falls, Idaho. Her family moved to Rigby, Idaho where she attended school with Keith Forsyth whom she married in 1944. Together they had six children - Robert, Nan, David and Timothy and two daughters who died in infancy, Kay and Patricia. Keith and Betty moved all over the west, eventually settling in Basin Wyoming where Keith had a medical practice. Keith died in 1962 and Betty moved to Ellensburg Washington to be close to her family, brothers John and Robert and her parents Ora and Robert Woods. In Ellensburg, Betty worked as secretary to the Dean of Men at Central Washington University. Later she took a job as secretary to the Ellensburg City manager and made many life-long friends among her co-workers there. In 1971 she married Stanley Miller and her family grew to nine children with the addition of five loving stepdaughters - Kathy, Sharon, Janet, Tracy and Jody. Upon their retirement, Stan and Betty moved to Yachats, Oregon to fulfill her dream of living by the ocean. In Yachats, they entertained family and friends who came to visit to enjoy the beauty and the quiet roar of the ocean, but Betty was also the draw, with her sweet nature, her generous heart, her love and ability to entertain with stories, song and jests. She was the life of the party; a prankster and a joy to be around. She knew everyone and always made them laugh. Sadly Stan passed away in 2003. In 2005, Betty married Andy Nielsen, an old Rigby classmate who had lost his wife. Andy and Betty shuttled between Salt Lake City for fall and winter and Yachats for spring and summer for a few years, but eventually decided to stay in Yachats year round. Betty loved to garden, but her real hobby was family, friends and helping people. She was active in the P.E.O., the Yachats Ladies Club and the Yachats Presbyterian Church. Betty was unassuming, and would often tell stories on herself. To her family and the community, she was known not only for her kind and generous heart and stories but for her pies; they were delicious! Betty could also be found combing the beach for agates, often accompanied by her children and grandchildren. Betty was a wonderful mother, grandmother, wife, mother-in-law and friend. Her light and laugh will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Ora and Robert Woods; her husbands, Keith Forsyth and Stanley Miller; her brothers, John and Robert Woods, her daughters, Kay and Patricia, her step daughter Tracy Miller, and her step grandchildren, Brian Zombro, Cassie Sandnes and Nicki Fowler. Betty is survived by her husband, Andy Nielsen, children: son Robert (Angela) Forsyth of Portland Oregon, daughter Nan (Jim) Stewart of Sante Fe New Mexico, son David (Suzie) Forsyth of Prosser Washington and son Tim (Karen) Forsyth of Arlington Virginia; stepdaughters Kathy Miller, Sharon Sandnes, Janet Zombro and Jody Beeson; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services will be held on Thursday June 16th at the Yachats Community Presbyterian Church, 360 W. 7th Street, Yachats Oregon with a viewing at 10 am and service at 11 am followed by a graveside ceremony. Lunch will follow at the church at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Huntsman Cancer Institute Salt Lake City, Utah. http://www.huntsmancancer.org/

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Betty Anne Nielsen

October 11, 1924 - June 8, 2016