Betty Lou Kofoed

RUPERT - Betty Lou Kofoed, 91, of Rupert, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Regional Medical Center in Twin Falls.

Betty Kofoed was born Dec. 28, 1923, in Pocatello, Idaho, the first of four children born to Arthur Dewey and Sylvia May (Bower) Tillotson.

While growing up in Lava, Idaho, she met her sweetheart, Kenneth Rex Kofoed, and they were married Feb. 14, 1942. Betty and Rex lived in different places in the surrounding area. Rex soon answered the call for World War II and Betty found herself waiting for letters from Rex to ensure her that he was safe. Upon his return from the war, they were ready to build the rest of their lives together and start a family. The pioneer spirit was strong in both of them, and they soon found themselves homesteading out west of Minidoka, Idaho, starting in 1959. Betty knew no hardship that she could not overcome. She did not mind packing water or working long hours. She and Rex built a life on the farm and raised three children there, which was their home until one month ago when they moved to Twin Falls, Idaho.

Betty considered her family to be one of her greatest accomplishments and was always the first to try to help when any of us were in need. Her natural talent of sewing clothes, that she learned when she was a little girl to help her Mom with clothes for her little brother and sisters, was used to create quilts and pillows for her kids and grand-kids. She was also a creative artist and designed and sewed original teddy-bears. Her bears are in homes all over the world, and even in a museum in Japan. Her work had an artistic styling of the antique bears and that is why many found them so endearing.

She was an accomplished gardener and in the latter years her flowers certainly reflected all the time and energy that she put into those incredible flower beds. The grand-kids also found it captivating that tucked away in the honeysuckle bushes were hidden nests of various birds that Betty had coaxed to being somewhat tame. She taught the kids if they moved really slow that they would be able to gently pet the backs of the birds while they sat in the nest.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one younger sister, Elaine Spackman; and her son, Kenneth Kofoed.

She is survived by her husband, Rex Kofoed; oldest daughter, Susan Kofoed; daughter-in-law, Joyce Kofoed (Ken); youngest daughter, Julia Folks (Terry); grandchildren, Loren Orr (Cindy), Forrest McKinley, James Kofoed (Amber), Daniel Kofoed (Chris), Steven Kofoed, Philip Wolff, Elley Folks, and Drake Folks; great-grandchildren, Bella Orr, Fallon Orr, Sage McKinley, Maya McKinley, Aedin Wolff, Aleiya Wolff, Chase Kofoed and Alex Kofoed; one younger sister, June Kelley (Bill); and one younger brother, Jay Tillotson (Kay).

Betty was the matriarch of our family and we were all blessed to have her in our lives. She will be lovingly missed by all and never forgotten.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, with Pastor Alice Long officiating.