Betty Lue (Long) (Hemphill) Jones

7/31/1935 - 1/22/2025

Betty was 89 years old when she passed away on January 22, 2025. At the time of her passing, she lived in Hardyville, KY.  

Betty was born July 31, 1935, the ninth child to Bertha and Carl Long in Lexington, Missouri; at the age of 3 months, she was adopted by her aunt and uncle Nancy and Earl Hemphill and moved to Clackamas, OR. She attended school in Clackamas until she graduated in 1953. 

After graduation, she married Albert J. Bonham and started her family. She was a homemaker until 1964 when she began her career as a furniture upholster, waitress, and dairy farm manager, to name a few. In April of 2000, she married Robert Jones; and they lived in Klamath Falls where she continued her career as a customer service representative at Crater Lake and KLA-MO-YA Casino. Betty was never one to sit around and do nothing, she was always helping friends and relatives. So at the very young age of 68; she decided to take a vacation, fly to Kentucky, and assist her youngest son in building a new home. Over the years she lived in several different locations, country living was her favorite place to be. In the country, she was able to have the animals that she loved (and she loved a LOT!!). She was definitely a country girl! A few years after the passing of her husband (Robert) she decided to move back north (Rainier, OR) to be closer to family. So, she put most of her belongings into storage and hit the road (with the animals of course), and lived in Rainier, OR, and Castle Rock, WA. Now at the age of 86, she decides to move to Kentucky. This time she did have one of her sons moving back with her. They packed up their belongings (and the animals) and off they went.  One driving the U-haul and pulling a trailer, and the other driving the pickup truck pulling a trailer. She bought a little place in the country (of course) and had as many animals as she could! 

Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Jones;  both sets of parents, Nancy and Earl Hemphill and Bertha and Carl Long; several of her brothers and sisters; and a daughter-in-law, Denise Bonham. 

She is survived by her children, Ralph Bonham, Cindy Yost, Charles Bonham, and Robert Bonham; fourteen grandchildren, Robert Bonham, Luther Bonham, Gary Godsey, Sheila Pellham, Michael Godsey, Sarah Graham, Sandra Carley, Charles Bonham Jr, Kenneth Bonham, Mathew Bonham, Andrew Bonham, Mikayla Bonham, Christy Dillingham, and Brandon Bonham; 20 great-grandchildren; and 6 great-great-grandchildren. 

In late spring of 2025 Betty will be making one last move back to Oregon. She will be laid to rest with her late husband Robert at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, OR.