Betty Doris Heitz, 79, died on Oct. 20, 2007, of a stroke at Yuma Regional Medical Center in Yuma , Ariz. A memorial service will begin at 2 p.m. Monday Oct. 8, at Burns Mortuary in Pendleton. Inurnment of ashes will be at Olney Cemetery in Pendleton.
She was born May 9, 1927, to Frank E. and Luva (Roberts) Messersmith in Alliance, Neb., one of seven children. She attended high school in Curtis and graduated in 1945. She studied for one year at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, then taught at a country school in Box Butte County, Neb.
She married Lyle Dunham Rogers on Sept. 27, 1947, and moved to La Grande. In late 1959, they moved to Pendleton where they held various jobs and were involved with the Pendleton Round-Up for ten years as members of the Main Street Cowboys and Sidesaddlers, promoters of the city. They were also active members of the Allons dance club and Blue Mountain Good Sams RV club.
In 1975 Betty became a cosmetologist and owned her own salon for many years. In 1987 Lyle retired and they became winter visitors in Yuma , Ariz. They sold their house in Pendleton in 1996 and purchased a home in the Foothills area of Yuma. They summered in Pendleton through 2005.
Betty is survived by her husband of 59 years, Lyle; son, Dennis Lee Rogers and his wife, Kathy Weddell, of Mount Angel; daughter, Connie Lu Snowberger and her husband, Gary, of Cupertino, Calif.; several grandchildren; three brothers and one sister in Nebraska; numerous nieces and nephews; and many friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the American Diabetes Association or the Northwest Parkinson’s Association in care of Burns Mortuary of Pendleton, P.O. Box 489, Pendleton 97801.
La Grande Observer – Obituaries for the week ending October 6, 2007-Published October 6, 2007