Betty Ownbey

Betty Ownbey, age 79, of Grants Pass, died Friday, May 15, 2009 at her home.

Family services were held. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Memorial donations may be made to Lovejoy Hospice, 939 SE 8th Street, Grants Pass, Oregon 97526.

Betty Lou Griggs was born February 2, 1930 in Hill City, South Dakota to James & Betty Lee Griggs. She attended school in Sturgis, South Dakota. She lived briefly in Stockton, California where she met John Henry Sims. In September 1948 they married in Grants Pass and had five children. In 1964 he preceded her in death. On December 4, 1971 in Reno, Nevada she married James L. Ownbey. For several years she worked as a cook at Laurel Hill Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

Her memberships included the Betty Club and Sunny Valley Grange.

All through her children’s school years she volunteered with Girl Scouts and PTA.

Her hobbies included sewing, flower gardening and cake decorating.

Survivors include her husband, James L. Ownbey; four sons, John Sims Jr. of Crescent City, California, Jerry Sims of Bermuda Dunes, California, Jeffrey Sims of Birmingham, Alabama and James Sims of Grants Pass; a daughter, Jenny Patino of Grants Pass; a step-daughter, Nancy Hodson of Portland; a step-son, Ed Ownbey of Grants Pass; two sisters, Aileen Murphy of Torrance, California and Marilyn Thomas of Grand Bay, Alabama; 11 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.