Betty Merle Gidley

June 29, 1924 - August 17, 2019

Betty Merle Gidley of Corvallis passed away August 17, 2019 at age 95. Betty was born on June 29, 1924 to Elmer and Beulah (Howard) Keene in Los Angeles, California. She graduated from Toledo High School in 1942 and married her high school sweetheart, Charles Lansing Gidley, on March 31, 1946. Betty and Chuck lived in Lincoln County, first running a dairy farm with Chuck's family and then building a beautiful home on the Alsea River. In their later years they relocated to Corvallis. Dedicated to her community as well as her family, Betty served as a 4-H leader, was a member of the county election board, and was active in the Lincoln County Home Extension. Betty's artistic spirit found expression through gardening, painting, sewing, and knitting, among other handcrafts, giving her satisfaction and fulfillment in both providing for her family but also surrounding them with beauty. Her creativity and unwavering support will be missed. Betty was preceded in death by her husband Charles, brother Kenneth, and daughter Barbara. She is survived by her children JoAnn and Allen and their families, including three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, as well as three nephews. A service will be held at 1:30 pm on September 14, at McHenry Funeral Home in Corvallis. Interment will follow on a later date at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Samaritan Evergreen Hospice, 1046 SW 6th Ave., Albany, OR 97321.