We Will Miss You, Betty!

Betty Caroline Jensen Pritchett Light

Sept. 14, 1924-June 4, 2012


Former Gresham resident Betty Caroline Jensen Pritchett Light died June 4 in Springfield. She was 87.

A service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 17, at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home, 520 W. Powell Blvd.

Betty was born Sept. 14, 1924, in Omaha, Neb., to Lars and Ruth Norby Jensen. Betty graduated from Omaha Technical High School and married Morgan Pritchett in 1944. They moved to Oregon.

Betty earned a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University, a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Oregon, and a doctor of education in community college education from Oregon State University.

Betty was a founding faculty member of Mt. Hood Community College, becoming chairwoman of the business division a year later. She retired from Mt. Hood in 1986 as dean of communications, arts, humanities and social science.

Morgan preceded her in death in 1982. In 1985, she married Kenneth Light.

Betty served on the Gresham City Council from 1983-1986. She was very involved in civic life, both as an individual and in connection with Mt. Hood.

Her husband, Kenneth, preceded her in death in 2003.

Survivors include her son, Randall Pritchett of Gresham; daughters, Robin Church of Lowell and Royce Bishop of Auburn, Wash.; five grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Mt. Hood Community College Foundation, 26000 S.E. Stark St., Gresham, 97030; Planned Parenthood, 3727 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland, 97212; or The Salvation Army, 8495 S.E. Monterey Ave., Happy Valley, 97086-7844.

Bateman Carroll Funeral Home is handling arrangements.