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In memory of
Bette Linn Rzegocki
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Bette's obituary
Bette was born in April 1948 to Vera (nee Padovan) and Morris Crider in Bakersfield, California. As a youngster, Bette, her parents, and siblings traveled often and she enjoyed scuba diving in her younger years. Bette graduated from Foothill High School in Bakersfield in 1965.
Her career path lead her all along the west coast where she eventually found employment at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, Oregon, and then as an accountant with Nike, The Oregonian, and corporate Fred Meyer until she retired in 1997.
She met Theodore (Ted) Rzegocki, Jr. in 1978 in Portland, Oregon; they married in October, 1981 in Vancouver, Washington, and were inseparable until Ted passed in 2012. Bette and Ted were unique in that they shared the exact same day and month of birth, but she was one year older. Ted brought two young sons into the family - Nik and Jed. Bette and Ted did not have children together - they were too busy with those boys! Bette volunteered with the YMCA Adventure Guides for her stepsons, as a Den Mother when her boys were in Cub Scouts, and an ever-present cheer leader and chauffeur when Nik and Jed took up baseball.
In 1998, Bette and Ted moved to Tacoma, Washington. Bette found joy in her numerous neighbors and their friendships. She was a voracious reader of fantasy books and also loved fantasy movies and computer games. You could often find Bette at the Tacoma Public Library with the largest tote bag of books to check out. She absolutely loved Star Trek! Her collector plate collection and various Trekkie collectibles were sights to behold.
Bette and her sister Judy had a short-duration business sewing replica clothing for car clubs along the west coast. Bette loved to crochet and often sent relatives her creations - hats to blankets. Bette recently found joy in 3D metal art sculptures, which she displayed around the house. She was extremely fond of her cats which graced her life and she catered to their every need.
We will miss Bette greatly.
Bette was predeceased by her husband Ted and her parents. She is survived by her stepsons Jed, of Redmond, Oregon and Nik, of Beaverton, Oregon; her siblings Melinda, of Corpus Christi, Texas, Judy Koehlert, of Tacoma, Washington, David, of Gilchrist, Oregon, and numerous in-laws, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Bette’s wish was to be cremated and, at a future date, she will be interred with Ted at the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.
The family requests, in lieu of flowers, a donation to your local Humane Society is encouraged. No service was conducted due to COVID-19. Tuell-McKee Funeral Home, Tacoma, Washington, provided cremation services.
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Created with love by
Jed Rzegocki (Bette's son).
