Bette retired at age 75 but she really never stopped serving others. She has finally completed her service here on earth. Bette Erwin passed away quietly in the home of her daughter in Washington where she had lived for the past three years on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2021.

Bette Lee Dutton was born in Parma, Idaho at the home of her grandmother who was also the delivering midwife. Because her dad, Floyd (better known as Little) Dutton, was a railroad section crewman the family moved around a lot throughout Oregon and Idaho. Luckily, Floyd and his wife Nina, Bette and her sister and best friend Lorraine were able to stay put in Vale to complete their high school education. Bette graduated as Salutatorian and attended the College of Idaho.

Bette met her husband, (Roy) Zip Erwin in high school. He was trying to impress her by standing on the desks and clowning around. Of course, he captured her heart. Bette and Zip remained a couple after high school and college and were married in 1945 when he was home on leave from the Navy, serving during WW II.

Bette and Zip went where the work was at the time. They lived in Brogan long enough to have two children, Bob and Nancy. Then they moved to McDermitt, Nev., where Zip worked in the mine at Cordero, and later moved to Tungsten, where child number three, Tim, came along. They moved back to Brogan several years later, in time for number four’s arrival. Dan, who went by the name Bodie.

The family finally settled down to Burns in 1955. She rooted herself into the community for over 65 years serving at the Christian Church, American Legion Auxiliary, Rebekahs, Once in a Blue Moon Productions, Chamber Music Choir, Harney County Arts and Crafts, Harney Youth Theatre Guild to name just a few.

Bette was very involved in her children’s lives as well as the community. Cub and Boy Scout Leader, PTA President, Score keeper for ball teams, acting in plays, performing with the bell ringers and choir, entertaining others in her friendly clown persona all while also working at different times as Motel Maid, Cosmetic Sales, Chief Operator for telephone company, Harney 4C, and volunteering for various organizations and causes.

Bette was always eager to learn new things like sign language when she worked with children as Assistant Director of Harney Coordinated Child Care Center (Harney 4-C) as well as Special Ed Aid working with handicapped kids.

After her first retirement from ESD (Early Childhood Center) in 2002 she went to work for Ruthie at her jewelry store retiring a second time at age She helped get the Christian Church thrift store up and running working full days there. All while continuing her community service.

Bette wrote her “Purpose in Life”: To live a good life for God and for Jesus. To read, listen to others, do what I can to make others’ lives better. To live as long as the Lord lets me and to be ready to go be with Him when its’ the right time [as determined by the Lord God]. She fulfilled that and much more.

Bette lived her purpose and dedicated her life to helping other people. That showed in the love of her family and friends who have been privileged to share her life. She always made the most out of her circumstances. Persevered in the face of adversity. She asked little for herself and had given, and given, and given more.

Accolades weren’t important to her but she was Woman of the Year: 1976, Senior Woman of the Year: 2002 but most important “The Greatest Grandma Ever”.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Zip; her sister, Lorraine; and her sons, Bob and Bodie. She is survived by daughter, Nancy, and her husband, Chuck, and her son, Tim and daughter-in-law, Judy. She was blessed with six grandchildren, Jerry Erwin, Kristan Lloyd, Deeann Graham, Andrea Hopkins, Heather Vaughn, and Amy Myers. Her legacy continues to live on with 14 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren with another one on the way.

Bette has left an example of living life to its fullest: hard work while having lots of fun, standing up for what is right and good, helping others, and loving your family. In the words of one of her grand-sons-in-law “We should all live like Grandma Bette.”

A Celebration of Bette’s life will be held on Nov. 20, 2021, at 11:00 a.m., at the Harney County Community Center located at 478 N. Broadway, in Burns, Oregon.