Betty Wyonna Jones Hofeling

April 2, 1929 – Sept. 3, 2018

Betty Wyonna Jones Hofeling died Sept. 3, 2018.

She was born April 2, 1929 in Beatrice, Gage, Nebraska. Betty and her husband Hank met when they were 14 years old. Hank would pick Betty up for date on a 1941 9N Tractor.

Hank and Betty married on Nov. 17, 1947 in Beatrice Nebraska. Hank was in the military and while in the barracks he heard over the loud speaker that there was an opening in Japan and Alaska. Hank rushed to the office and signed up for Alaska. Hank served in the Air Force and was involved in the Korean Conflict. He also served in the Air National Guard in Anchorage, so the family traveled quite a bit in the early part of their marriage.

They traveled the Alaska Highway in 1953 with their family to Alaska. After Hank got out of the military they stayed in Anchorage and raised a family of seven children (Dennis, Rick, Vicki, Kathy, Connie, Sandra and Toy).

Hank and Betty homesteaded at Knik across from Anchorage. Hank would fly his plane back and forth with Betty and the kids from the homestead to Anchorage. They lived in a cabin they built and didn’t have the modern conveniences we have today.

In the ’60s Hank and Betty opened the first outdoor theater on Muldoon in Anchorage which was called the Billiken Theatre.

Hank and Betty moved to Homer in 1975 because Homer was the place they always wanted to retire. While in Homer, Hank and Betty started two businesses – Jack and Jill Water and Homer Honey Bear.

Betty retired from Alaska Seafoods in the 1990s. She met many life long friends in Homer from the many years she worked at the cannery. In later years, Hank and Betty took over the care of the Senior Housing in Palmer.

Betty loved playing Bingo at the Elks Lodge. Her other favorite pastimes were crocheting, cross-stitch and crafts.

Betty is survived by six of her children, Rick Wright of Anchorage, Vicki Brown of Homer, Kathy Johnson of Homer, Connie Geagel of Seldovia, Sandra Cooper of Homer and Toy Bairamis of Homer; 18 grandchildren; and 30 great-grandchildren.

Her parents Daniel Jones and Ella Cook; her son Dennis Hofeling; and her younger sister Thelma Keck precede her in death.

The family would like to thank all the caregivers in Homer that took care of their mother and father in their elderly age.