Betsy Oborn

Betsy Ford Oborn passed away the morning of May 1, 2024.  She lived her life determined to improve herself and family. Her journey was unusual as she enjoyed sharing her skills and creations.  She was very proud of her place of origin.

Betsy was born on July 25, 1934, in Accle near Norwich, England to Edith Marie Fiddy and Charles Barnes Ford. She was raised with her older cousin Ben Fiddy and sister Sally, later her brother John joined the family.  

When she was 5, World War II started with the rationing of food and clothing. In 1940, air raids commenced where many of the houses in Norwich were destroyed or damaged.  When the bombing was at its worst she was sent to Tacolneston to stay with her Grandfather Thomas Fiddy away from the attacks. Her time spent in Tacolneston is her favorite childhood memories.

Betsy's family operated a boarding house for actors and travelers.  When Missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints returned to England in 1950 two missionaries were directed to their home for lodging. They were told they could stay until they found someplace better. As time went on the family was taught the Gospel. Betsy was the first in her family to join the church with the rest of the family joining shortly later.
 
Being an active teen in the Norwich Branch she attended church activities including dances. As Betsy was decorating for a branch function, her future husband, Darrell Oborn walked in. He was In the US Air Force and stationed at an airbase 50 miles away. His mother constantly encouraged him to find a church to visit.  They were married two years later, on April 18, 1953, with their first child arriving a year later.

In August of 1954 Betsy and her family arrived in Utah. They were greeted at the airport by the extended Oborn family who each wanted to give her a hug and kiss (very un-English). She wanted to get back on the plane. She was reassured by her father-in-law Arlow that she would do fine. And she did. She learned to cook American, speak without an accent (mostly), drive, camp, and fix household appliances.

With 4 children and one on the way, Betsy and Darrell built their home in Bountiful in 1959. They were founding members of the Bountiful 25th Ward and helped build the chapel near their home.  They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple August 31, 1961. Many of the Children remember waiting in the Temple nursery to be called up to the sealing room dressed in white.  

Betsy proudly became an American Citizen on March 10, 1965 with all 5 children witnessing the event

Family vacations were spent in the mountains above Salt Lake with the extended Oborn family. Betsy learned and shared with her children the blessings of helping one another, appreciating nature, the fun of fishing, and the all-important game of spoons. (a blood sport in our family).

To help support the growing family, Mom worked at a variety of jobs. Several of these jobs enabled Mom to take one of us along where we learned the principle of work.  Many teen girls from the neighborhood were hired to work with Mom on a catering crew for years.  On one job, a friend of Mom's wanted to apply at the Phone Company for a job but was nervous to go alone. Mom went with her and was offered a job as a Directory Assistance Operator, despite her lack of formal education. She eventually worked her way up to becoming a Fraud Investigator with Mountain Bell.

Betsy and Darrel had 5 children and spouses, 16 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. This doesn't include the many neighborhood kids, friends, placement children, cousins, and others that were welcomed into their home. Because Mom was a convert to the church who had encountered persecution, she made sure that we would interact with everybody in our neighborhood.

Betsy  shared her skills and training with everyone she met. Countless numbers of people, young and old, were taught knitting, sewing and how to crochet. She donated hundreds of handmade items to her family, ward members, cancer patients, preemie babies, etc. She especially enjoyed sharing these skills with the "Activity Days Girls" in her Ward. She developed a special love for the "Days for Girls" Humanitarian project where she made many new friends and blessed the lives of girls around the world.

After retirement, Betsy and Darrell served as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City for eight years, Mom's understanding of English Society and investigative abilities made her especially effective. They also served as Missionaries at The Willey Handcart Historic Site in Wyoming for two years.   In between (during the winter) they served coordinating the logistics of housing for Sisters Missionaries of The Temple Square Mission.

Survived by her children: Ralph (Kathy), Paul (Carolyn), Darrelyn (Dee Davis), Char (Greg Wells), Vaughn (Marianne).

Our family is grateful to all family, special friends, and neighbors who have shown so much love and kindness during the past difficult years. Without your help, she could not have remained "independent" at her home into her 90th year.

Funeral services will be held Friday, May 10, 2024, at 11:00 am at the Bountiful 25th Ward Chapel, 1500 South 600 East, with a viewing prior to services from 9:30 am to 10:30 am. There will also be a viewing Thursday, May 9, 2024, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm held at Russon Mortuary, 295 N. Main St. Bountiful. Interment services will be held at the Centerville City Cemetery, 650 East 400 South, Centerville.

Services will be streamed live on Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and this obituary page.