Betty Jean (McBride) Hennessey

Betty Jean (McBride) Hennessey, 98, of Spokane, Washington, passed away peacefully on March 30, 2026.

Betty was born on October 27, 1927, in Thornton, Washington to Paul and Bessie McBride. She was the oldest of four siblings.

Her dad was a young school teacher during the Great Depression and jobs were scarce. They moved frequently and she attended 12 different schools. She graduated from Rosalia High School, then moved to Spokane to begin work.  Soon after, she started dating William E. Hennessey. After just three months of dating, they were married in 1947, beginning a remarkable marriage that lasted 78½ years. Together, Bill and Betty built a life defined by teamwork, holding hands wherever they went—joking in later years that it was “just to hold each other up.” Betty could “out-talk” the best of them, while Bill is known for his quiet strength—we’ve never quite known which came first.

Betty worked in the payroll department at The Crescent and Diamond Match to help put Bill through Gonzaga Law School. She took great pride in creating a warm and welcoming home. When their first child was born, Betty became a full-time homemaker. 

Betty served as PTA President at both the elementary and middle school levels. She was the carpool mom, loading her station wagon full of neighborhood kids in the days before seatbelts were required, shuttling them to school events or delivering them home from the bus stop on snowy days.

Bill and Betty both loved to golf. Later in life, they spent winters in California, always alongside dear friends. They also shared a love of travel, frequently journeying with the Shriners, and loved to dance whenever they had the chance. Betty was a talented bowler, known to throw more than a few strikes. She brought her lively spirit to every gathering, including many memorable Washington State University Mom’s Weekends with her children.

Above all, Betty was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was always thinking of others. She never missed sending a birthday card, often including her signature “stick of gum” for the children, and frequently slipping a $20 bill to her grandchildren. She made frequent phone calls to her loved ones to stay connected in their lives, and even in her final weeks, offered to babysit her great-grandchildren.

Betty had a gift for friendship. She made friends everywhere she went—the grocery store, pharmacy, or doctor’s office. Her social calendar was always full, meeting friends for lunch many days of the week. 

She is survived by her loving husband Bill Hennessey, her brother Bob McBride, her children, Paula Hennessey, Kevin (Kitty) Hennessey, and Scott (Jo) Hennessey, her grandchildren, Connor (Ella) Hennessey, Taylor (Jenna) Hennessey, Shea (Jon) Clift, Shawn (Ben) Loewen, and Kelly (Nick) Somers, and 6 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Bessie McBride; her sister Gerry West, and her brother Larry McBride.

A memorial service will be held on April 25 at 3:00 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home (508 N. Government Way, Spokane, Washington), followed by a gathering at the Spokane Club (1002 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane, Washington). These events are open to all who wish to attend and celebrate Betty’s life.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice House of Spokane or the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Bill and Betty built a beautiful life together. We are proud and grateful to be their children and grandchildren. We will miss Betty dearly, but will forever remember the kind, caring gestures of a matriarch who was always there for the ones she loved.