Elizabeth "Betsy" (Doerr) Totten

Elizabeth “Betsy” Totten, 82 of Spokane, WA passed away on November 5, 2022 in Appleton, WI where she was residing at the time of her death.  Betsy was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to Kuno Doerr Jr. and Gwendolyn Thackeray Murdoch Doerr on January 28, 1940.

Betsy graduated from Rowland Hall High school in 1958.  Rowland Hall, a private all girl’s high school, is where she met her lifelong friends.  Together they shared some incredible adventures (hot air balloon ride in Napa, rafting down the Colorado River, and enjoying the beautiful National Parks (Zion was her favorite).

Betsy married Richard “Dick” Totten on April 18, 1960.  Together they share three children Rick (Nancy) Totten, Robbi (Pamela Mach) Totten, Becky (Steve) Stipe and three amazing grandsons; Cade, Drew and Hayden.

Betsy was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Kuno Doerr III, other relatives, numerous dear friends and her husband Col. USAF (Ret.) Dick.

Betsy is best known as a Grandmother, Mother, Homemaker, Military wife, Volunteer, Friend, and avid animal lover.  She was also a dedicated church member, a classroom volunteer, a talented seamstress; she could knit, sew, or stitch anything.  She was a campfire leader, a den mother, supported the Spokane Lilac Festival, a Blood bank advocate, election worker, kid hauler and sports fan. Betsy also loved to “play in the dirt” (gardening).  Together the family has enjoyed many family road trips (with lots of singing), ski vacations, camping and spending summers at their cabin on Deer Lake in Washington State.  Betsy was always up for Happy hour and sharing a good laugh.

Betsy would often say she ‘found her purpose as a grandmother.’ She was so proud of her grandsons, and she cherished every memory that they shared together.  To Cade (her best friend), Drew (the one that is going to conquer the world) and Hayden (her inspiration) always know how very much she loved you.

The family would like to thank the thoughtful and caring staff and nurses at Touchmark, as well as the ProMedica/Heartland hospice that provided her loving care at the end of her life and took so many burdens away from her family.

We believe that everyone should strive to live more like Betsy; she was beautiful, brilliant, bossy and bold (yes, she had this written on a t-shirt that she wore proudly). Enjoy each day, try new things, be curious, travel, laugh and hang on tightly to the people you love.  RIP darlin.

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