Bette Stevenson
April 27, 1932 – August 10, 2021
Bette Stevenson
Elizabeth “Bette Ann” Hynes was the youngest of the six children of Ellen and John Hynes of Davenport, Iowa. Bette attended Sacred Heart Elementary and graduated from Davenport High School in 1950. After high school, Bette visited her sister Margaret in Seattle – and never left. Her new employer, American President steamship line, sent her to San Francisco for a year, but she returned to Seattle where she met an adventuresome man in 1957 on a ski trip, who was to become her husband of 47 years. They married July 18, 1959, bought a VW bug and spent the summer traveling in Europe.
In the early 70s, she filled in at Wood/Harbinger Engineering Co for a week and ended up staying 22 years. She and John, a teacher and house painter, enjoyed a rich life with their family, their garden, their wine club, tennis and golf.
Bette and John raised three sons and she loved telling stories about THAT adventure! They were enthusiastic and talented tennis players, competing in tournaments with friends from Yarrow Bay to Hood Canal. Every summer, the family would pack up the car and camp at Washington’s most beautiful destinations including La Connor, Lake Chelan State Park & the Olympic Peninsula.
Bette’s children and grandchildren were devoted to their “Momma” throughout her life. She adored watching Andrew and Wendy’s daughters, Chelsea and Nicole, grow up to be successful young women; and Dave and Lynn’s three – Henry, Hailen and Harper – run circles around their world as they are growing up. Tom served as Bette’s landscaper, resident artist and chef in the years after John’s death in 2006. Bette enjoyed visiting and traveling with her children, frequently visiting Park City, Tucson and southern California.
Bette cherished her strong Irish heritage and Catholic faith. And oh how she loved her friends! She played darn good tennis at Robinswood for decades and stayed connected as the Tennis Girls morphed into Golf Girls or Poker Girls. She always looked forward to traveling to visit her family, and her girls’ golf getaway in Palm Springs was an annual romp. Laughter was Bette’s second language, and she shared it freely, but what her friends will remember most is her generous friendship, love, understanding and compassion as they all moved on through life.
Bette’s siblings, Mary (Pete) Beckman, Katherine (Arthur) Dickson, Margaret (Ken) Koehler, Joseph (Josephine) Hynes and Father John Hynes have all predeceased her. Her sister-in-law, Betty Eberharter of Seattle, joins countless nieces, nephews, and close friends who will miss Bette’s humor and warmth.
The Stevenson family invites you to join them in celebrating Bette’s life at 11 am on Wednesday August 18, 2021, at St. Louise de Marillac Catholic Church located at 156th Ave. S.E. in Bellevue. A celebration of life will follow at Robinswood House 1-4:30pm.
Bette was a big supporter of the SE Network SafetyNet Program through the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County. In lieu of flowers, her family asks donations to be made toward this program in honor of her memory: https://positiveplace.org/safetynet/, select the green “Donate” button on the top right corner and select “SE Network/Safe Passage” to direct your donation directly to this program.
9 Responses to “Bette Stevenson”
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I met Bette many times over the past few years and she was always ‘on form’ telling stories and laughing at Dave and Lynn’s jokes. It was obvious how much she loved her grandkids and how mush they adored her.
I wish all of the Stevenson family and friends all the best and it is comforting that Bette is at peace now in a better place reunited with her husband John.
May she Rest In Peace.
Ben
I’m sorry to lose one of my and my late wife’s lifetime friends. Bette, Betty, Pat and Dorothy got together early through high school and they, along with husbands John,Jim, Pete and Bob spent many wild and hilarious times in any number of “exotic “ locations and the eight truly loved each other for over 50 years. We couldn’t have had a better life. Please remember me to her family. Jim
As Co-Grandmas, Bette and I shared many laughs over the antics of the “three Hs”. We spent good times traveling with the ‘gang”. She had a great sense of humor and loved all of her family to the moon and back. We will surely miss her! Rest in peace, Bette!
We have known Bette as a dear friend for 40+ years. Bette and John were as easy and pleasurable to be with as any couple we’ve ever known. Bette was invariably warm, welcoming , self effacing and generous. Thru it all she kept her wry sense of humor. She was the best!
Ron & Kay Bland
Oh my gosh, looking at this picture of sweet, loving, creative, fun loving Bette makes my heart ache.
I was surprised to hear her age today. Even though I’ve known her for probably 30 years, she always seemed to be ten years younger than her age.
She gave so much of herself with such ease and added so much to every gathering.
She will truly be missed!
❤️❤️
Bette was always up and ready to go and have fun. We had great tennis times together and wonderful parties at her home. Bette was always wanting to do our Christmas party at her home and she always put that extra effort in for all of us when it came to special times in our lives.
Of course one party stands out / when Bette blew up a photo of Burt Reynolds (the naked one) and we played a different version of pin the tale on the donkey.
I remember one informal gathering at Bette’s in the summer after tennis. We all sat shoulder to shoulder at her picnic table in her back yard. She was there in her beautiful garden and sparkling as she talked about it. It was at that gathering that I thought how special is this – friends sitting so close to one another and just enjoying themselves on a beautiful summer evening.
Bette that is how I remember you best / warm and wonderful as summer sunshine.
Thank you Bette and shine on.
Love to you
Deb
Thank you Bette for all the gifts you gave to us.
Hi David my Friend I know how proud of you she must have been
Blessings to you and Family from Betty and I❤️
It was an honor to have been blessed with her radiating light. She always had a warm smile or a strong hug whenever I needed one. I am so happy that she had her hot girl summer that I jokingly told her whenever she left to hang out with her children & grandchildren this summer. Sunrise will remember your beautiful spirit always my friend. Love and miss you Bette 🙂
Where do I begin, Bette was amazing(John too, although I didn’ know him as well) We met at Bellevue Muni where our golf and friendship began and carried on thru the years and down to Palm Desert. Bette had such a great sense of humor and fun and I laugh when I remember some of our trips together. She was such fun, generous, kind, mischievous, loyal and she loved her friends and family. I will truly miss her and cherish my pictures and memories of her