Betty Jean (Bell) Postma, 97, of Sweet Home was born November 23, 1923 and
passed away peacefully on September 3, 2021. Betty was born in Slope County North Dakota to Jesse Bell and Nellie (Egly) Bell.
The Bell family moved from North Dakota to Oregon when Betty was a young girl. The family settled in Twin Rocks on the Oregon Coast. Betty married John Postma in 1942 moving their family to Sweet Home in 1948 where Betty lived in the same
home until her death.
In 1959 Betty became a single mother of four due to John’s accidental death. As a working mother she held many jobs. Her first job was at Snappy Service where Betty served lunch to the High School crowd. Not long after that Betty moved into the secretary field beginning with her church. She followed that service with becoming a secretary in the administrative office of the Sweet Home School district, quickly moving to the office of the Superintendent. Betty left the school district for a position with the President at Linn Benton Community College where she worked as the secretary until she retired in 1988. While at LBCC she took classes and in 1978 proudly earned her Associates Degree. Betty was also an active member of the Oregon Association of Educational Secretaries, serving many years as a state officer.

Betty loved to sew and crochet, giving her “made with love” items as gifts and filling her home with her art. She was also an avid crossword puzzle solver and enjoyed a challenging jigsaw puzzle. Betty spent many hours working with the Sweet Home Gleaners. Over the years she was very active in her church, teaching Sunday School, working with the youth as a Christian Endeavor Sponsor and acting for years as the church librarian. Betty wanted to get her family history down on paper so she began taking a writing class she called Life Stories. The family now has many stories with her memories of special events. She traveled throughout the United States and Europe with co-workers, family, and friends until her failing eyesight caused her to stay closer to home. She then shifted her attention to the Sweet Home Senior Center working in the kitchen serving the “younger” senior’s. Betty also participated in exercise classes until COVID forced their postponement. Betty was not about to let her low vision slow her down, once she turned in her car keys and sold her car, she was a regular on the city bus getting around town and to the Senior Center as necessary.

Betty is survived by sisters: Lorna Graham, Carole (Jenell) Knox; and brother John; daughter Betty (Bunny) and husband Jerry Krause; sons: Kenneth and wife Linda,Dennis and wife Linda; Grandchildren: Cherri, Mandi, Rose, John, Jennifer, Tami, Krys, Ryan, Laura, and Erin; 21 great grandchildren; and one great-great granddaughter.
Betty was preceded in death by husband John; daughter Patricia Robinson; parents Jesse and Nellie Bell; brothers: Bill, Charles, Jim; sisters: Vivian Bell, Margaret Frizvold, Carrie Canfield.
​
A graveside service will be 11am Saturday September 18, 2021 at Gilliland Cemetery.
Memorial contributions can be made in her name to Sweet Home Senior Center or Sweet Home
Gleaners. Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements. www.sweethomefuneral.com
​