Betty A. McCracken Bills

Betty “Boots” McCracken Bills, age 93, passed away Friday evening, February 10, 2017, at the Pondera Medical Extended Care Facility in Conrad.  Betty was born at home on February 1, 1924, to George and Mary Alice (Dougan) Betts on her grandmother’s farm near Columbia Falls, Montana.  Sadly, she never knew her mother, as she passed away from complications of childbirth eight days after Betty was born.  Betty was the youngest of five children.  She attended Deer Park country school near the farm and high school in Kalispell.  Betty’s grandmother Julia Dougan along with her father George raised her until Julia’s passing when Betty was 14 years old.  When Betty was 16, due to her father’s failing health, she and her father moved to the east side of the mountains to be near her sisters.

In 1942 Betty married Woodrow McCracken.  Betty and Woodrow were married until Woodrow’s passing in 1973.  They raised four children on the farm east of Ledger:  Darrell, Dave, Judy and Carol.  Betty was a hard-working farm wife and an excellent cook.  When it rained in the summer the family would load up and go to the cabin on Whitefish Lake until the fields dried up.  During those years the highlight of their marriage was a month-long trip in their Cessna 180 to Alaska in 1959 with the Flying Farmers of America.  Betty was also a member of the Tri-County Cowbells and the local home extension club.

In 1980 Betty married Fred Bills of Dupuyer.  They resided in Conrad and spent winters in Parker, Arizona, and summers on Holter Lake.  Betty and Fred travelled extensively in their motorhome all over the country.  After Fred’s passing in 1989, Betty continued travelling with friends on bus tours to many destinations.   She also made trips to Australia and Ireland with family members.

Betty was proceeded in death by her mother Mary Alice Betts and father George Betts, grandmother Julia Dougan, husbands Woodrow McCracken and Fred Bills, sisters Helen Louise Betts, Marie Egan and Evelyn Myers and brother Arthur Betts.  Betty’s two sons Dave and Darrell McCracken also proceeded her.

Betty is survived by her daughter Judy and son-in-law Don South of Missoula; daughter Carol McCracken of Billings; daughter-in-law Janet McCracken Egan of Columbia Falls; eight grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild; and many nieces and nephews.  A memorial service is planned for June.

The family wishes to extend our gratitude and appreciation for the special care Mom received from Dr. Taylor and the staff at Pondera Medical Extended Care.  They treated her with dignity and wonderful kindness.  Memorials can be made to Pondera Medical Extended Care or a charity of choice.