Betty Hobbs Morrison

Betty Alvira Hobbs Morrison, age 82, passed away peacefully May 14, 2022, due to complications from COVID 19, pneumonia and a pulmonary embolism. Betty was able to say goodbye to her loved ones and was with family at the time of her passing.

Betty was born in Preston, Idaho on November 22, 1939 to William Parkinson Hobbs and Julia Vilate Hendricks. Five minutes after she was born, her twin brother, Bob, arrived.  Notwithstanding questions to the contrary, they were not identical. Betty was raised on a dairy farm in Franklin, Idaho with her five siblings, LuGene, Bill, Tim, Bob and Michael. She had a special relationship with each of her siblings and loved them dearly. There was always a full house as grandma and grandpa always seemed to have a place for someone in need. 

Betty was a true cowgirl. She had a favorite cow she would ride to lead the herd to and from the pasture. Cowgirls eat funny things, like onion or ketchup sandwiches, and sometimes the legs from the frogs she and her brothers would catch down in the Cub River bottoms. Apart from the farm chores, like taking the herd to pasture, hoeing beets and gathering chicken eggs, Betty had plenty to do to help grandma keep house, including helping with great grandma and caring for her baby brother, Mike. Growing up on a farm instilled a strong work ethic in Betty that she passed down to her children.

Betty attended elementary school at the Franklin Elementary School before moving on to Preston High School where she graduated in 1958. In high school, Betty was a student body officer, cheerleader and a majorette - boy could she twirl a baton! Following graduation, Betty attended Utah State University in Logan, Utah.

On September 11, 1959, Betty married Kendrick Oliver Morrison, M.D., for time and all eternity, in the Logan Utah Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. For more than 62 years, Ken and Betty shared a wonderful life together, creating a family, traveling the world and making a warm and loving home, where everyone was welcome and no one ever left hungry.  Ken and Betty were blessed with five children, John (Margaret), Steven (Kristy), David, Cherie (Jack) Matsen and Michael (Nichole). There was nothing more important to her than her family whom she loved deeply. Betty took great comfort in knowing that families are forever and that she would be reunited with her loved ones. On the day of her passing she knew she would soon be with her parents, sister, brothers and other loved ones that had gone before. She had a special birthday message she was going to deliver in person to her sister, LuGene. She will be the first in line to welcome home those who follow. 

Betty loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren. There didn’t seem to be a game, concert, recital, graduation, talk or any other special event that she and Ken didn’t attend. If there was a conflict with multiple events, they somehow seemed to time-travel to make sure they made them all. Her message to each of her grandchildren was that she loved them and was so very proud of them. She made each one of them feel special.

Like her parents, Betty always opened her home to those in need. Brothers, in-laws, nieces, nephews, friends and even children returning to the nest, always had a place to stay, whether for a few days or several months. Even when crippled with arthritis, she would set aside the pain to make sure everyone had what they needed. She wanted her home to be where everyone wanted to be. For each of her children, her home was the place their friends seemed to show up. Everyone wanted to go to the Morrison’s. There was always a treat to be found and an extra seat or two at the table.

Betty was a faithful member of the Church. She served in many callings in the Relief Society, Primary and Young Women organization. While she loved all of her callings, she was particularly fond of the time she worked with the young women, which she seemed to be called to do often. She made each young woman she worked with feel special. From 2002 to 2004, she and Ken served a mission for the Church in Preston, England where they taught classes at the missionary training center and Ken was the medical officer for several western European missions. Betty loved working with the new missionaries who had just arrived at the missionary training center helping them prepare for their next year and one-half or two years as missionaries. She loved traveling the missions to attend zone and mission conferences. She loved missionaries!

Betty enjoyed cooking and entertaining, hosting numerous parties for family and friends. Few people would want to say no to a meal at Betty’s home. Christmas parties were always the best, with a food spread to put the finest restaurants to shame, with everyone wearing their best dress and always a visit from Santa.

Ken and Betty expected their children to work hard, but there was always time for play when the work was done. Family vacations were always a special time. Even camping or on a houseboat in Lake Powell, there was always good food and everyone had what they wanted, like making sure there were four types of jam or six types of cereal. After Ken’s retirement, they seemed to always be on a trip or planning their next one. They traveled with family and friends, but the family trips were always a little bit more special.

Betty is survived by her loving husband and eternal companion, her five children and their spouses, her eighteen grandchildren, McIan Morrison, Zara Morrison, James (Bailee) Morrison, Matthew (Olivia) Morrison, Samantha Morrison, Monique Morrison, Brooke Matsen, Jackson Matsen, Ellie (Tyler) Seelos, Lily Matsen, Sicily Matsen, Capri Matsen, Hannah (Cade) Kartchner, Gracie Morrison, Joshua Morrison, Sophia Morrison, William Morrison and Josie Morrison; her three great grandchildren Beau, Krew and Knox, her brother Tim (Elaine) Hobbs, her twin brother Bob (Irma) Hobbs, many nieces and nephews of varying degrees of consanguinity and many other friends and loved ones. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her sister LuGene (Doug) Neuenswander, and her brothers Bill (Elaine) Hobbs and Michael (Shari) Hobbs.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 11 a.m. in the South Jordan River Stake Center, 1570 West 11400 South, South Jordan, Utah.  Viewings will be held Friday from 6:30-8 p.m. and Saturday from 9-10:30 a.m. both at the church.  Dedication of the grave will take place following the funeral at approximately 3:00 p.m. in the Franklin, Idaho Cemetery.  Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at webbmortuary.com. Services will be available to stream at the following link  https://youtu.be/wHlnQk20fWM

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