Betty Jean Mofford

Betty Jean Mofford was the tenth child born in Booneville, Kentucky in 1952. Her father died of a brain tumor soon after she was born, and Betty was raised by her mother. She was born on seventeen acres that was used to grow food to survive on. But after the death of her father, her mother bought a smaller place with two acres for them. When Betty was around, ten she and her mother moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in hopes of a better life.

Betty’s siblings had left home by this time. Her mother struggled to make ends meet and only received a small monthly check from Social Security. She planted a huge garden each year, and canned it in the winter to survive.

Betty was a good child, who got good grades all the way through high school. She was raised well by a loving, yet strict, mother. At the age of nineteen, Betty was married to Charles Edward Mofford of Cincinnati, Ohio. They had their first child, Robert Paul Mofford, when she was twenty.

Betty went on to have four more children. In order, they include Kenneth Lee Mofford, Dana Lynn Mofford, Tracy Kay Mofford, and Melissa Renee Mofford. All children were born in Cincinnati with the exception of Melissa who was born in Houston, Texas. 

Betty’s life is not all about her children. In the first fifteen years of Betty’s marriage she saw the United States almost in its entirety. When she arrived in Oregon, she fell in love with the state, and convinced Charles to settle down in the territory. Charles loved to travel so this created much controversy, but Betty was determined, and Charles loved his wife very much. Betty and Charles for the most part, have now lived in Oregon since 1990, until the day this is written in March 2006.

What inspired Charles and Kenneth, the father and son who are sponsoring this message, is Betty’s sheer determination and strength within the family. Her fighting spirit and will to do what’s right has always been an inspiration to the whole family. Her love for her children and husband surpasses anything they have ever seen or felt before. Betty is a survivor, and she has proven that she can handle anything and take care of herself, her husband, and her children, under the most extreme conditions. Betty is a grandmother now to five grandchildren—the fifth one was born on August 28, 2004. Her son Kenneth, and his wife Victoria, are so proud of their mother that they have named their child’s middle name “Jean” in honor of their mother.

Mom as you read this, your son and husband want you to know that we love you as much as any son or husband could possibly love their mother or wife. 

Given to Betty on Mother’s Day of 2004 (Happy Mother’s Day).

Written by Charles Mofford and Kenneth Mofford