Betty Lou Kessinger
Betty Lou Kessinger, 78, of Klickitat, died Jan. 8, 2010, with family by her side.
She was born April 11, 1931, in Platte, S.D. Betty moved to Bingen with her family around the age of six.
She was from a large family of 13 children.
Betty picked beans for Dickie Farms during her school years. She first met BJ at the White House Café and Bus Depot in Bingen. She tended bar at the Klickitat Tavern and worked 20 years in the shipping and planing department for the Klickitat Mill. Betty retired in 1986 from Champion International.
Besides her family, she loved being at the ocean, watching the Klickitat River from her back deck, fishing (especially in her back yard), gardening, and no one went hungry at Betty’s. During Klickitat high waters, it was the common practice to check the river on Skookum Flat last so the flood watchers could stop at Betty and BJ’s for something good to eat and a hot cup of coffee at anytime day or night.
She was happily married to BJ for 62 wonderful years
She is survived by her three children: Billie Joe Jr. and his wife, Reneé; Chuck and his wife, Sharon; and Susan McKay and her husband, Daryl; her eight grandchildren and 19 great -grandchildren: Traci Kessinger, son Konner; Troy McKay, wife Shannon, sons Dylan and Bryce Johnson; Bradey Lane, son TJ and daughter Kacy; Christina Charpentier, husband Christopher, son Christopher, daughter Havannah, step-daughter Jamie; Amy Roesli, husband Jeff, daughter Sydney, sons Wyatt and Garrett; Mike Kessinger, wife LeAndra, daughters KeAndra and Billie Jean, sons Mike Jr and Kaydon; Keith Kessinger, sons Matthew and Markus, daughters KyAnn and Kylie; and Allie Spino, husband Tony, daughter Kaitlynn; three sisters, Adele Mansfield from White Salmon, Rosie Gates from Grants Pass, and Lillian Bringer from Rapid City, S.D.
Viewing was Jan. 15, at the Gardner Funeral Home in White Salmon. Funeral services were at Baptist Church in Klickitat, Jan. 16, with burial in the Appleton cemetery. A gathering afterwards was held at the Klickitat Ole’ Mill Office Community Center.
Donations can be made to the Kristy Kessinger Memorial or the Klickitat Fire Department.
