Betty Baxter

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Betty Baxter

April 4, 1924 - August 4, 2018

Elizabeth Rhoda Ann “Betty” Lincke was born in Philadelphia, PA, to proud parents William P Lincke and Gertrude Crowe. She was the middle of 5 children, Bill, Marie, Trudi and George. Betty grew up in Philadelphia and attended St. Ludwig’s Catholic School. Twice a day Betty and her siblings walked the mile round trip to St. Ludwig’s. The morning commute was fueled by oatmeal encouraged by her dad, and on more than one occasion Betty was tasked with protecting younger brother, George, from bullies on the way back home. Some of her fondest childhood memories were of summers spent in Wildwood at the shore with her family.

Betty met the love of her life, Palmer Baxter, in 1944 when a mutual friend who was in the service with Palmer asked him if he’d like to meet a nice girl. “Sure,” was Palmer’s response, and that marked the beginning of their life-long love story. Palmer initially thought Betty was pretty but wore too much makeup. It turns out Betty didn’t wear makeup at all and had a natural glow and beauty.

Palmer and Betty were married on June 26, 1944, in Philadelphia, PA. In June of 1945 while Palmer was stationed in Gainesville,TX, Betty gave birth to their son, Bill, back in Philadelphia. During the years that Palmer was in the service Betty moved with him around the United States, spending long days on the road, but she never complained. Palmer and Betty eventually settled in Lamesa, TX, to live and work on the family’s cotton farm. Being a city girl at heart Betty was not used to the dust and fields of Texas nor the various critters, invited and uninvited, that tend to live there. She made the best of it though, working in the fields on occasion and even learning to drive the tractor. Even though Palmer took the girl out of Philly, he couldn’t take Philly out of the girl. Betty kept her hometown close to heart and you could hear it in her Philly accent up until the very end.

It was in Texas that their second and third children, Barbara and Betsy, were born. In 1956 they moved their blossoming family to Rupert, Idaho, to take on a homestead. This was where Lorraine, their fourth child, was born. In 1989 Palmer and Betty moved to Meridian, Idaho, to be closer to their daughters and grandkids. After Palmer’s death in 2006, for the first time in her life Betty bravely tackled living on her own. Her girls were always close at hand but after a fall in 2015 it became too much to live alone, so Betty moved into MorningStar Assisted Living where she spent her remaining years in their tender and attentive care.

Betty was very strong in her Catholic faith and prayed the rosary every day. She truly was an example of holiness in her limitless generosity and genuine kindness and compassion to all. Betty had a way of making everyone she talked to feel special. She loved children and they loved her, endearingly called “Nanny” by her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She spent countless hours babysitting her grandkids and even neighborhood children. All of the grandkids have an abundance of fond memories spending time with “Nanny and PopPop”. Whether it was being picked up from school and taken to dinner, sleepovers followed by Nanny’s famous German pancakes or PopPop’s Texas toast, snuggling into a warm and soft embrace, or calling her on the phone to chat for hours when away at school or out of town, Nanny was always there for us. We will all miss those visits with our beloved Nanny.

Betty, Boop, Nanny, Mom was truly special and loved by all she came in contact with. Betty was preceded in death by her sisters and oldest brother, her husband and her son. Betty is survived by her younger brother, George (Nancy) Lincke - Rupert, ID; daughters Barbara (Roy Dean) Holloway - Boise, ID; Betsy (Stan) Koehler - Boise, ID; Lorraine (Lewis) Whitesides - Boise, ID; her 8 grandchildren, Bill Koehler, Heather Holloway Rommens, Jeff Koehler, Emily Whitesides, Amy Holloway Bourgoin, Greg Koehler, Elyse Whitesides and Erin Whitesides. Six great-grandchildren and one on the way; several loving nieces and nephews.

Betty’s life will be celebrated on Tuesday, August 14 with a 10 a.m. funeral Mass at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Boise. We would like to thank all of the wonderful staff at MorningStar Assisted Living and the supportive and caring staff of Keystone Hospice. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital 800-822-6344. Betty will be interred at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery alongside her loving husband Palmer.

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