Betty (Craven) Pyeatt |
| Posted 2018-02-04 by Pat R |
| Wickenburg Sun (Wickenburg, Arizona) Wednesday, September 6, 2017, p. A-5 Betty was born in Dallas, Ore., Feb. 8, 1933, to Walt and Alpha Craven, the only girl of three children. Her two brothers survive her; Bob Craven of Dallas and Joe Craven of The Dalles, Ore. Betty grew up in Dallas and graduated from high school there in 1951. She met and married Herschel Greenwade in 1953 and then moved to Salem, Ore., where their three children Melanie, Sally, and Justin were born. Betty opened an antique store on the farm where they lived. She called it the Old Granary. She loved working with antiques, and also loved to garden, raising and preserving much of their food. In 1981 Betty and Herschel divorced and in 1983 she married Jim Pyeatt, a friend from many years back. They moved to Wallowa County in northeast Oregon and bought a little place up the Lostine River where they began a licensed outfitter and guide service called the JP Pack Station. Betty cooked for their clients at the camps, and helped guide trail rides along with Jim. Betty opened another antique store in Joseph, Ore., just a thirty minute drive from their home. She also worked for nationally known sculptor David Manual at his museum in Joseph. She loved learning the history of the valley and of Chief Joseph, leader of the Nez Perce tribe who called the valley home long before the white man came, and sharing this information with the hundreds of visitors who came through the museum. Her knowledge and personality was a big asset to the museum. In 1997 Betty and Jim retired and after a trip down to Arizona and looking around the Wickenburg area, bought some acreage on the Forepaugh Peak road and built a home, and set it up as a perfect cowboy winter camp, complete with corrals for Jim's horse. They thoroughly enjoyed their desert life and the many new friends they made. Betty's love of native American art led her to use her artistic talent to paint gourds with Indian motifs, each one individually detailed and beautifully crafted. She belonged to the Wickenburg Art Club and sold her gourds at shows and galleries in Wickenburg. Jim passed in October of 2016 and Betty began thinking of returning to Oregon where her three children still lived. She said she hated to leave her home here and all her friends, and the desert she'd learned to love, but felt it was time. In May she moved back to Wallowa County where one of her daughters lived, and all three of her children came to help her settle in. Unfortunately, just one month later Betty had a heart attack and passed, with all of her children at her side. Those of us who had the pleasure of knowing her will remember her beautiful smile and the joy she received from everyday happenings, like watching the birds that she fed and watered, seeing the blossoming cactus and other flowers in her garden, and sitting on her front porch and watching the beautiful Arizona sunsets, with a glass of red wine on the table next to her. She was a "cloud watcher" and thought there was nothing any more exciting than when the monsoon weather brought massive clouds with thunder and lightning and rain. Her spirit has gone on, but our memories of her will stay with us. See Also: Find A Grave |
Note: These obituaries are transcribed as published and are submitted by volunteers who have no connection to the families. They do not write the obituaries and have no further information other than what is posted within the obituaries. We do not do personal research. For this you would have to find a volunteer who does this or hire a professional researcher.
Questions About This Project?