A memorial service is planned this Saturday morning (August 2nd) for longtime West Seattleite Betty Broughton, who died Monday at age 85. Her family shares this remembrance:

Betty Lee Marks Broughton was born on February 18, 1929 in Missoula, Montana to Cleve and Ora Marks.

Her early childhood was spent on a 10,000-acre working family ranch in Townsend, Montana where both of her parents were born. She attended first grade at a mining camp in York, Montana where her father found work. She has two younger brothers, James and Michael, who were also born in Montana.

After the mine closed, the family moved to Helena, Montana where her father went to work for the Social Security Dept. In 1941, when she was 12 years old, the family moved to Seattle where her father went to work at Todd Shipyards building boats for the US Navy during WWII. She attended 7th grade at Beacon Hill Grade School and when the High Point Housing Projects were completed for the WWII industrial workers, her family moved there. Every day she walked to the Cooper School where she attended eighth grade. It was there she developed several lifelong friendships with her classmates, who still gather every Wednesday for dinner at the Chelan Cafe in West Seattle.

When her father’s next job took him to Everett, she stayed with Harold and Pearl Broughton, who lived a block from West Seattle High School, where she attended 9th grade until she graduated in 1947. After school and on Saturdays, she took the bus downtown for her part-time job at Frederick & Nelson, and gave the money she made to her host family. After graduation, she married Harold and Pearl’s son, Charles “Bud” Broughton, who had also graduated from West Seattle High School. In 1949, they bought their home on 47th Avenue where she raised her four children who graduated from WSHS: Tim in ‘66, Mary in ‘69, Joyce in ‘70, and LeeAnn in ‘72.

While her children were in school, she attended night classes at Edison Technical School on Broadway in Seattle where she learned her secretarial skills. After employment at several local construction companies, she worked at Loyal Lumber Co. on First Avenue South where she retired from in 1991. Betty has always been a huge fan of University of Washington Husky Football. For many years she attended both their home and away games. She was an active member of the American Legion Drill Team for many years travelling throughout Washington for both competitions and parades. She has volunteered for many years serving as the WSHS Alumni Association Secretary, where she retained the title of first-ever Board Member Emeritus. She also served as the Class of 1947 representative for what seems like eons.

Betty was preceded in death, by her brother, James Marks. She is survived by her brother, Michael Marks of Renton, WA. Betty is survived by five children: Tim Broughton and wife, Karen, of Kettle Falls, WA; Mary Ross and husband, Jerry, of Keller, WA; Joyce Olson and husband, Darrell, of Silverdale, WA; LeeAnn Nicholas and husband, Rick, of Deer Park, WA; and Tom Mullins and wife, Laurie, of Issaquah, WA. She is survived by three grandchildren: Nicole McCulla, Travis Broughton, and Nic Broughton. She is also survived by four great-grandchildren, Bianca Hernandez, Rory Broughton, Corinna McCulla, and Shane Meek.

Services will be held on Saturday, August 2nd, at Evergreen Washelli at 10:00 am. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the West Seattle High School Alumni Association, 4742 42nd Ave SW, #215, Seattle, WA 98116.

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