BETTY JANE RAFFAELLI
October 5, 1936 – August 22, 2016

Betty was born on October 5, 1936, in Eureka, California, and she died peacefully on August 22, 2016, in Eureka, California, after a long battle with COPD.

Betty was married for 59 years to the love of her life, Don. They would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary next May. She was an amazing wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt. Betty loved putting together puzzles. She always had one going in the living room. (It was a challenge to see who could find the most difficult puzzle for her to try).

She was also an avid gardener and would spend entire days making her yard look gorgeous and enjoying all the beautiful birds that came to her yard and would then, without fail, come in and make an amazing dinner for the whole family.

Betty’s greatest joys in life were her children, Kevin Raffaelli (wife Tammy) and Kathy Raffaelli Radford; her three grandchildren, Stephanie Radford, Tim Raffaelli and Zachary Radford (with whom she shared her birthday); and her great-granddaughter, Aubrey Radford, (grandma and Aubrey loved to color and put puzzles together). She was extremely proud of all of their accomplishments. Betty was looking forward to celebrating her 80th birthday on October 5th while at the same time celebrating Zachary’s 21st birthday … she said, “I get to buy him his first (legal) drink!” As much as she loved all of them, they thought even more of her and loved her beyond measure.

Betty is also survived by her sister Linda Hoggatt and husband Paul; brother Ken McKinley and wife Janet; sister-in-law Judy McKinley; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by dear friends Peggy, Christy and Katie McCaddon. She was predeceased by her brother Harless McKinley, parents Dorothy Brum and Percy McSwain and son-in-law Gerry Radford. She had also recently lost her wonderful friends Anita Pera and Betty Hytken – they called themselves the three musketeers – and now they are together again.

The family would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Dieker and the nurses in the ICU at St. Joseph Hospital and a great big thank you to Rommie Carmichael, Respiratory Therapist, who went above and beyond to make sure Betty was comfortable and looking  beautiful and for spending her own free time sitting with the family during their darkest hours.

Friends and family are invited to attend a memorial service/celebration of life on Saturday, October 1, 2016, from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Elk’s Lodge, 445 Herrick Avenue, Eureka, California. A private graveside ceremony will be held at Ocean View Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Humboldt or to a charity of your choice.

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The obituary above was submitted by Betty Jane Raffaelli’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.