Elizabeth June Flynn
Elizabeth June (Betsy) Flynn was an amazing wife, friend, mother, sister and grandmother who walked into the arms of the Lord on March 2 after a long and challenging battle with Parkinson’s.
Born Elizabeth Timmons, but always called Betsy, she grew up in Kirkland and attended Holy Names Academy. She was a lifeguard at Juanita Beach and was famous as a teen in local CYO circles for rescuing campers from the freezing waters in south Puget Sound when the boat they were on, the Walrus, sank on its way to their overnight on Raft Island. This heroic act brought her recognition from President John F. Kennedy.
She met her future husband, Mike, as a sophomore in math class at Gonzaga University and was married the next year. She became a mom a year later while living in Olympia. She spent most of her youth helping to steer her younger siblings and spent most of her adult life caring for her children (and her husband). She went back to school when she had two school-age children and a toddler, earning not just her BA from Seattle University, but her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Washington. Betsy spent many years working in the non-profit world locally, including at the Northwest Policy Center.
Nevertheless, her priority was always her family, and she sacrificed often to ensure that her kids and Mike were taken care of. She was thoughtful, patient, resourceful, caring, and always guided by her Catholic faith. She had the gift of making everyone in her life feel heard. Betsy’s extraordinary talent at being a friend is exemplified by the many friendships she maintained until the end, including with friends from high school, college and her early years living in Olympia.
Betsy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at an early age, and she faced the debilitating disease with grace and courage for nearly three decades. For years, though, she didn’t let that slow her down. After Mike’s retirement, they traveled often with friends and family to places like Mexico, Italy, England and Ireland. Although, her favorite were the many vacations with the kids and grandkids, and 27 annual summer trips to their condo at Wapato Point. Betsy was always quick to offer a hand or a smile to those around her, even while the disease slowly took away her physical abilities.
In addition to Mike, her husband of what would have been 60 years in August, Betsy is survived by her children: Meagan (Dan), Michael (Leianne), Eileen (Steve), and granddaughters: Kayleigh, Emma, Claire, Sarah, Katie, and Anabelle; grandsons: Zack, Connor, and Christian; and her five siblings: Warren, (Diane), Kelly (Bobbi Jo), Annie, Maria (Victor), and Patrick (Regina).
Those Betsy left behind will never forget the model of living she left us: Be generous, selfless, kind, faithful, frugal, and always give people the benefit of the doubt. She will forever be loved, and forever be missed.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation. A funeral mass will take place at 11 a.m. on May 11th at Holy Family Catholic Church in Kirkland.
The post first appeared on Barton Family Funeral Service.