Elizabeth (Betty) May Street Hockett

Elizabeth (Betty) May Street was born to Edgar and Leela (Pearson) Street in Caldwell, Idaho, on November 13, 1930. They lived in Greenleaf, Idaho, and attended the Greenleaf Friends Church. When Betty was about two years old, the family moved into Caldwell, then later back to the Greenleaf area. On January 1, 1935, they headed out to Oregon, where she lived the rest of her life. She attended elementary schools in Springfield, LaGrande, Stanfield, and Portland, graduating with the class of 1948 from Jefferson High School in Portland. Betty attended Pacific College (later George Fox College; now University) and graduated in 1952. Throughout her school years, she maintained good grades. On September 7, 1951, she married M. Gene Hockett. During his Master of Divinity studies at Western Evangelical Seminary (now Portland Seminary), they moved to Metolius, Oregon, where Gene began his pastoral career. Betty loved her role as a pastor’s wife, which extended from Metolius to West Chehalem Friends Church, near Newberg in 1962. In both places, she was a children’s Sunday school teacher as well as participating in community activities. Betty was a member of the Friends church from her earliest years. As an adult, she held key roles in the denomination, especially in the women’s organization and in Christian education as it related to children. She always had an interest in writing, even as an elementary student, but had no ambitions of actually becoming a writer. That interest grew, however, and in the mid-1960’s a correspondence course in writing led to a vocation, from which she retired in 2014. She wrote 16 books, hundreds of stories for children, magazine articles, poems, devotionals, book reviews, and Christian education curriculum for children, representing several denominations. Betty taught non-credit writing classes through a local community college and also independently. She enjoyed leading writing workshops, helping aspiring writers perfect their craft, while also improving her own writing. Reading was her primary hobby, always enjoying sharing a good book with friends and family. Knitting and gardening also occupied time for her. She and her husband, Gene, moved to Friendsview Retirement Community in 1998. They participated in activities and committees there as long as their health permitted. They had three children: Steven Milo, Christine Marie Stanfield, and Susan Louise Hockett. Four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren completed their family. Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Gene, in 2019. Betty peacefully entered into the arms of Jesus on September 20, 2022. A service in celebration of Betty’s life will be held at Newberg Friends Church, Newberg, Oregon, on October 18, at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, Betty’s family suggests donations be made to Friendsview Retirement Community Assistance Fund.

Elizabeth (Betty) May Street Hockett

November 13, 1930 - September 20, 2022