Obituary: Bets Stover

Bets was born on March 2, 1949, in Cheboygan, Michigan, and grew up in Onaway and  Long Lake, Michigan. She earned an English degree from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor). She later pursued a Biology degree in Oregon.

In the 1970s, Bets moved to Seattle, Washington, where she worked at the King County Juvenile Detention Center, among other jobs and creative pursuits. She later lived near Goldendale, Washington, where she worked with the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). In the 1980s, she moved to Portland, Oregon, where her work included Hospice House and later social work with Kaiser Permanente, retiring in 1999. She created a beautiful garden in Portland, as she did everywhere she lived.

That same year, Bets and her husband John Murphy made their home in Hood River, drawn to the Columbia River Gorge and the life it offered. The outdoors was central to their relationship and daily life — mountain biking, skiing, hiking, and time on the river, including whitewater canoeing. Bets was an early riser and a thoughtful organizer who made room for others — planning visits, sharing trail ideas and books, and always adding warmth, humor, and gratitude to the ordinary details of life together.

John and Bets travelled annually to the southwest, and Bets returned to Hood River each spring, continuing to love the Gorge and her community. She was close to Lee Murphy, John’s son, whom she loved dearly. Bets and John traveled widely as volunteers for The Nature Conservancy and wildlife and conservations organizations.

Bets was preceded in death by her husband John Murphy (2019; her parents,  Jim and Dorothy Parr Stover; and her brother Bert Stover. She is survived by her sisters Ann Tennyson and Jaye Stover; her brother Jeff Stover; her beloved stepson Lee Murphy; and extended family and friends.

A private interment/committal was held. A gathering to celebrate Bets’ life will be announced by the family.