Betty Jean Moore

Betty Jean (Jensen) Moore passed away June 19, 2022, at the age of 98. Betty was born on October 4, 1923, to Nelle and W.H. "Pete" Jensen. She was educated and spent much of her childhood on the Fort Hall Reservation, where her mother worked as the charge nurse. Her father was a Rancher and Bannock County Judge.

Betty graduated early from Pocatello High School in 1940 and left for the pre-med program at George Pepperdine College in Los Angeles. After a year in LA and a year working at the Naval Ordnance Plant in Pocatello as part of the WWII effort, she returned to her studies at the College of Idaho's pre-med program in Caldwell - which she graduated from in 1944. She married John William "Bill" Moore and they raised 4 children, Kathleen (Moore) Graves, John Moore, Kelly Moore, and Pete Moore. They were married for 72 years before Bill's passing. She discovered her true passion in speech pathology and obtained one of the first master's degrees in that program at Idaho State University. She worked for The Learning Lab, the Pocatello School District, and then served as an adjunct professor for ISU's College of Health Professions until 1987.

Coined by her peers "The Betty Train" (as in you might as well get on board with whatever project she championed), Betty was known by her family and friends for her absolutely dauntless outlook in the face of obstacles and her relentless activism. She was almost perpetually in motion, skiing until her mid-eighties, and walking a couple of miles most days, into her nineties. A devoted reader, Betty was almost never seen without a book close at hand. She was a committed fan of Star Trek and the Utah Jazz basketball team. She also traveled extensively throughout Europe, Oceana, Central America, and North America, visiting 18 countries throughout her life. Her favorite place in the world, though, was Redfish Lake. The vast majority of summers throughout her life were spent there with her family or accompanied by her grandchildren to various Sawtooth ghost towns, historical landmarks, and fish hatcheries.

Betty threw her boundless support and energy behind so many people and causes that inevitably some will be missed in this recounting. She was a volunteer for CASA and was appointed to two Governor's projects (the Idaho Professional Standards Committee and the Governor's Task Force On Substance Abuse). She supported Road to Recovery, the Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center, and directed the grant-writing which led to Pocatello's Hope and Recovery Resource Center. She was an avid member of ISU's New Knowledge Adventures program, where she acquired the hobby of China painting - an activity (and group of friends) she enjoyed for over 20 years. She was also a member of the American Legion as well as four sororities dedicated to professional development for either women or educators. She received awards and recognition from various Idaho governors and the 2018 Human and Civil Rights Award in Pocatello.

Betty is preceded in death by her spouse, Bill, her siblings Dan Jensen, Emmett Spraker, her son Kelly, and her grandsons Gary Graves and Shane Graves. She is survived by her other three children and all her children's spouses; Terry Graves, Helaine Moore, Louise Moore, and Carolynn Moore as well as her grandchildren; Karl Moore, John Robert Moore, Brendan Moore, David Moore, Sean Moore, Elise (Moore) Albano, and Grandson-in-law, Christopher Albano, in addition to her great-grandchildren; Austin Graves, Brayden Morrison, Ariana Albano, Emma-Marie Moore, Shantelle (Graves) Howe, and great-grandson-in-law Mathew Howe. Betty's family would like to thank the staff of Encompass Health and Quail Ridge for your loving and patient care.

In lieu of flowers, Betty would have deeply appreciated donations to Hope and Recovery Resource Center at 210 E. Center St. in Pocatello. Her memorial service will take place on August 26th, at 5:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 200 N 15th Ave., Pocatello.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Cornelison Funeral Home, 431 N. 15th Ave., Pocatello. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.cornelisonfh.com
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