Betty Grace (Senecal) Pedersen, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, veteran, amateur ham (N7GSG), nurse, volunteer, friend to many, and long time resident of Oak Harbor, passed away peacefully in her sleep at 3:30 a.m., Jan. 19, 2003, at the age of 78 from recent complications of her seven year battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Born in Reynoldsville, Pa., to Leon V. Jr. and Ruth Senecal on Feb. 21, 1924, Betty Grace was raised in Blawnox, Pa., a suburb of Pittsburgh. A graduate of Aspinwall High School, she attended the Carnegie Institute of Art on a full scholarship. During the first part of World War II she worked for Gulf Research before enlisting in the Navy. She met her future husband, Aviation Electrician Chief (ALC) Pedersen (K7OH) while on active duty in the Navy as a WAVE (Women Accepted for Voluntary Enlistment), Specialist X/Communications in early 1946. Following a three-year correspondence courtship, with only three dates in as many years, the couple married at NAS Glenview, Illinois on Nov. 12, 1948, in the presence of their friends, Jack and Jeanette Barrath.

Aviation Electronics Technician Chief Petty Officer (ATC) Pedersen retired from the Navy at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in July 1962 and moved the family to their current home of 45 years on Zylstra Road. Mrs. Pedersen had been active in Oak Harbor Lutheran Church as both a Sunday and Bible school teacher and with the American Red Cross as a gray lady. In 1971 she completed her training at Skagit Valley College, Whidbey Campus as a licensed practical nurse and accepted a position at the Naval Hospital where she worked in the Pediatric Clinic until her husband’s retirement from civil service in 1978. In her retirement she continued her volunteer work with Meals on Wheels until her current illness prevented her from participating. Her hobbies included sewing, gardening, reading and following figure skating.

Betty Grace is survived by her loving husband of 54 years, Leif A. “Pete” Pedersen; their four children: Christy A. (Pedersen) McLaughlin, her husband Robert and daughters Jenette, Celeste, Shannon and husband Jose Bustamante of Bellevue; Eric S. Pedersen, FTBCS USN/RET, and wife Louise, daughter Aasta, and son Leif, of Knotts Island, N. C.; Lisa L. (Pedersen) Grosso, lieutenant commander, MSC USN/Ret., and husband Alex J. Jr., lieutenant, MSC USN/Ret., and sons A.J. III and Pete, of Coupeville; Bruce A. Pedersen, son Joe, and daughter Belle, of Linden, N.J.; and daughter Vita Shook and husband, Jeff, their children, Drew, Hailey and Justin of Aspinwall, Pa. She is also survived by two brothers, Vance E. and Marion Senecal of Wilmington, Del., and Robert and Tina Condron of Aspinwall, Pa.; two sisters-in-law, Bertha King and Stella Pedersen, as well as many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made in Betty Grace’s name to one of the following: Betty Grace Pedersen, 1932 Zylstra Rd, Oak Harbor, WA 98277, The Whidbey Island Hospital Foundation Tree of Life, PO Box 641 Coupeville, WA 98239 or Washington State Chapter American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) PO Box 75169 Seattle WA 98125-0169.

In accordance with Betty Grace’s wishes, there will be no viewing prior to her cremation. A public memorial to celebrate Betty Grace’s life is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m., at Burley Funeral Chapel. A private ceremony will be held for immediate family to scatter Betty Grace’s remains where she said her favorite memories lie, the many Sunday family outings to Libbey Beach to agate hunt.

Our family truly appreciates the thoughts of prayers of our family, extended family, many friends and community over the past years and recent weeks. Those of you who kept our spirits up and those of you who gave our Mom, Betty Grace, and our Dad, Leif “Pete” Pedersen a helping hand in their time of physical and spiritual needs. There were so many of you who touched our lives and made such a difficult time that much more poignant and precious for the support you offered.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Burley Funeral Chapel, Oak Harbor. This obituary may be seen on-line at http://burley.plan4ever.com