Helen Elizabeth "Betty" Todd
October 20, 1922 — May 19, 2015
Helen Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Todd
October 20, 1922 – May 19, 2015
Helen Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Todd was born October 20, 1922 in rural Richmond, Missouri and passed away peacefully to be with the Lord May 19, 2015 at age 92 in Portland, Oregon.
Betty was born to Claude and Elizabeth File, one of thirteen children, in rural Richmond, Missouri. The family moved as necessary during the depression era to work in the coal mines and live and work on small family farms. The children attended mostly one room school houses and while attending grade school in Peoria, Illinois Betty as a twelve year old eighth grader, earned a full scholarship to any Illinois state college.
In 1938 the family learned of great opportunity in Alaska and loaded up the entire family and belongings into two vehicles and trailer, one car towing the other car and trailer at times, and headed west to Washington. The family settled for three years in the Sumner-Orting area of Washington state where Betty attended and graduated from Sumner High School. High school was extended for Betty as the working age children found odd jobs to help sustain the family. While attending Sumner Church of Christ Betty was baptized in February 1940. During the time in Sumner-Orting Grandpa Claude and the boys were building a boat that the family would take to Alaska. They launched the boat, “The Walloping Window Blind”, and headed for their Great Alaska Adventure. The Walloping Window Blind with twelve aboard, including Betty was “towed” into Petersburg, Alaska in early summer of 1941. The Pearl Harbor event shook the family, with the older boys enlisting and Betty heading to Kansas City, Missouri to attend college.
After attending college for a time Betty went to work for the Upjohn Company in KC where she met and married Calvin ‘Cal’ Todd in 1946. Shortly after marrying, Betty and Cal headed to Los Angeles to open a branch for Upjohn. The next trip was to Portland to open another branch and settle for good. Cal’s children, Wanda, Sandy and Chuck joined them and Betty’s first child, Tom, was born in 1949. Sons Murray, Matt and Pat followed. The family joined Willamette Blvd E.U.B. Church where they met many great friends and Betty started her life time mission and ministry of teaching the Beginners Department, ages 4-6. She taught with passion and commitment for well over thirty years.
Betty was a stay at home mom who also provided day care for a number of children, including grand children and great grand children, and was an awesome nurturer and provider. She would cook, read and craft with all the kids and was a second mom to generations of kids in north Portland. The front and back door were always open and cookies in the oven.
When Cal became sick and could no longer drive, Betty took driving lessons and received her driver’s license for the first time at age 61. They joined the Nazarene Church in 1985 making more friends. She provided care for Cal in the home until he passed away. After Cal passed away Betty moved back to KC to provide care for Grandma File, then moved back to Portland bringing Grandma File with her and took care of her until Grandma turned 100. In the early 90s she returned to Willamette Blvd/New Heights Church and joined old and new friends. Betty returned to the family home in north Portland in 2000 and stayed in the room she shared with Cal for all those years till she passed away May 19, 2015. She will be remembered for her love and commitment to God and family, giving nature, keen whit, recipes and an extremely sharp mind.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband Calvin, grandson Rick Rollins, son Tom, and step children Chuck, Sandy and Wanda. She is survived by: sons Murray, Matt (Bericca) and Pat, sons in-law Leroy Rollins and John Thompson, grand children Laura (Mike) Fendall, Ron (Maggie) Rollins, Randy (Stephanie) Rollins, Harrison Todd, Hayden Todd, Mitchell Todd, Sheena Mendoza-Todd , Patina Todd and many more grandchildren, great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sisters Amy and Virginia and brothers Bud, Tom and Bob and many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held Thursday June 25, at 1:00pm, at Life Fellowship Church, 3935 N. Lombard St., Portland, OR 97217.
In lieu of flowers please consider contributing to one of Betty’s favorite charities; Feed the Children (feedthechildren.org) or The Union Gospel Mission of Portland (ugmportland.org).