Betty Heppner

Betty May Heppner, a Moses Lake resident, passed away Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023 at a care facility in Spokane Valley.

Betty was born Jan. 22, 1936, on a farm near West Plains, Mo., the daughter of Lee and Thelma Garrett, both deceased. In 1939 the Garretts moved west at the encouragement of Lee’s cousins. Lee and several of his relatives helped build the Tooele Army Depot, in Tooele Utah, where Betty started first grade. The family moved further west and settled in Klamath Falls, Ore. The family lived on the Klamath Indian Reservation until early 1942, at which time the Garretts moved to Portland, Ore.

Betty’s father (Lee) worked as a welder in the Kaiser Shipyards building Liberty ships. In late 1942, Lee developed pneumonia and had to move the family to a drier climate; Moses Lake, Wash., was the location. Lee helped construct Larson Army Air Base before he started farming.

Betty completed schooling in Moses Lake and graduated at the top of her class in 1954. That same year she met her future and lifelong husband Robert (Bob) Heppner, while stationed at Larson Air Force Base.

Married in 1955, Betty traveled to locations she would only ever dream about and during that time their daughter, Kathy, and son, Lee, arrived. Bob retired in 1978; he moved the family back to Moses Lake.

Once Bob and Betty fully retired, they both enjoyed traveling, especially to Hawaii, visiting grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Betty’s beloved husband Bob passed away March 27, 2021, after 65 years of marriage.

Betty is survived by her daughter, Kathy (Steve) Bishop, of Clearfield, Utah, and son, Lee (Kris) Heppner, of Milwaukie, Ore.; granddaughters, Michelle Workman, Shannon Bishop and Keeley (Jeff) McNair all of Utah, and Victoria Heppner of Oregon; grandson Taylor Heppner of Springfield, Ore., and a bonus granddaughter, Dani Holle of Spokane, Wash. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Dezirae (Thomas) Reinhart, Max Workman, Cheyenne (Patrick) Spouse, Jerrett McNair, Cason McNair, Jacie McNair, Beau Moldt and many high school and military friends throughout the years.

A memorial service will be held at Kayser’s Chapel of Memories on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, at 11 a.m. Interment will immediately follow at the Guarding Angels Cemetery. In lieu of followers, a donation in her name can be made to the Moses Lake Alumni Association.

Please express your thoughts and memories at www.kayserschapel.com. Arrangements are under the care of Kayser’s Chapel of Memories of Moses Lake, Wash.