Betty Sherleen Laible

Betty Sherleen Laible, 72, of Grants Pass, passed away peacefully, Sunday, July 9, 2006 at her home with her family at her bedside.

A funeral service will be held in the chapel of Hull and Hull Funeral Directors in Grants Pass, Friday, July 14, at 3:00 pm, with Pastor Wes Winn officiating. A private interment service will follow for family members at Hawthorne Memorial Gardens.

A celebration of life gathering will be held at the Park Street gazebo at Riverside Park at 5:00 pm, in pot-luck fashion. Everyone is welcome.

Betty was born March 15, 1934 in Grants Pass, Oregon. She is a 1952 graduate of Grants Pass High School. As a 'car hop' at Larry''s drive-in, she met and married Gerald Laible of Klamath Falls, at Bethany Presbyterian Church in 1952. They raised their five children in Ashland, Burns, Klamath Falls, Coos Bay, Grants Pass, Medford, Grover City, CA and Kirkland, WA.

Known as Betty 'Liz' to her friends, volunteers and dining patrons, she served for ten years as a meal site coordinator at several locations and Meals on Wheels for Josephine County and the Rogue Valley Council of Governments. She retired from the 'B' Street meal site in 2002.

She was social, happy, generous and gracious. She dearly loved her job, gardening, flowers, butterflies and hummingbirds. Her 'green' thumb was magical. She was a big NASCAR racing fan. Jeff Gordon, was her favorite race car driver.

With over 300 relatives in the local area and all five of her children living within a mile of her, she truly enjoyed her family on a daily basis. She also enjoyed bowling, dancing and made the best rhubarb pies ever.

She remained close with her classmates. At her GPHS 50th class reunion, she reunited with her high school sweetheart, Richard A. Williams of Itasca,Texas. Both widowed, they enjoyed RVing, cooking and visiting family and friends around the country. She especially enjoyed touring Graceland, Branson, MO, New Orleans, and Christmases on the gulf coast of Texas.

During high school she was a pom-pom girl and baton twirling majorette and went to the Rose parade. She was an expert swimmer and enjoyed playing the piano. From episode one, she NEVER missed her favorite soap opera, The Young and the Restless and loved plotting it with her daughters.

She was a member of the Eagles and dearly loved her life-long friends. It was always family first with her. She devoted her entire life to her children and grandchildren. She was the consummate 'Mom'.

Survivors include her three sons, Steve, Jeff & David Laible; daughters, Cindy Goodwater & Lori Stokes all in Grants Pass; her sister, Phyllis Anderson of Arroyo Grande, CA; a brother, Bill Kolkow in the Philippines; grandchildren, Adam, Sarah, Chase, Angela, Kyle, Alisha & John.

Preceding her in death are her parents, William Kolkow, 2000; Ida Vicki (Pollock) Kolkow, 2003; her husband, William Gerald Laible, 1979; a niece, Alaina Danforth, 1977 and an infant grandson, Shane Laible.