Betty Kathleen McCaffery Jorgensen

Betty Kathleen McCaffery was born in Manti, Utah on October 30, 1936, to Patrick McCaffery and Hazel Christina Bench McCaffery. Betty was the 7th of 8 children. Betty’s father was a brakeman for the railroad, and Betty grew up loving to spend time with her dad on the trains and riding in the caboose. She loved and rode trains every chance she had her whole life. She also loved and embraced her Irish heritage and all that came with that.

Betty was a hard worker from an early age and had several jobs throughout her life. While still quite young, Betty worked as a paper delivery girl and as a soda jerk at Elliot’s Drug Store.

Betty graduated from Manti High School and then moved to Salt Lake City to work, and stayed with her brother and sister-in-law. Her future love, Ray Jorgensen, was the brother of her brother-in-law, and Ray became Betty’s transportation to Salt Lake while working at Bennett’s Paint, and soon their eternal love story began.

Ray and Betty were sealed for all time and eternity in the Manti Temple on April 4, 1956, and over time became the parents of 4 wonderful children; Michele, Kelly, Mathew, and Jennifer. Ray and Betty were also blessed with 13 grandchildren and have 20 great-grandchildren to date. Betty was a truly great mother, but she excelled at being a Grammie, and found great joy in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Some of her favorite things to do with the grandchildren included watching planes from the front porch, feeding the ducks, making bubble snakes, feeding, and watching the blue jays, and playing hide the thimble.

Betty would often remind her family that all God’s creatures have a place in the choir before she would sing her broom song lullaby to lull the babies to sleep, and then rambunctiously sing her famous camp song to entertain and keep them awake.

Betty was an amazing cook, and even if you were not hungry when you went to her house, you would always eat something, just because everything always tasted so good there. She carried the tradition of making aebleskivers and hot ham sandwiches every Christmas, and there were always Creamie ice cream bars in her freezer. She had a special recipe file where she kept her favorite recipes, and although it was just a large manilla envelope, she could quickly find the scrap of paper with the sought for recipe, much to the amazement of her family, although Betty never followed a recipe as it was written because she had a gift and talent for cooking, and would just add ingredients until it “looked and tasted right”.

Betty loved the out of doors, and especially loved to take long drives to enjoy the beauties of nature. Two of her favorite spots were her beloved Still Water Dam and Moon Lake. She also loved to take drives through the mountains in the Fall to see the changing leaves.

Betty was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout her life, and held many various callings in the Relief Society and Young Women organizations where she made girl’s camp and road shows so much fun for all involved. Later in her life she was also a Temple Worker in the Jordan River Temple.

Betty worked at the Salt Lake Community College in the bookstore for many years when here children were older and enjoyed serving and helping the students with their needs there. Betty also loved lighthouses, gnomes, reading, playing games, watching the Hallmark Channel, and building and working on crafts with her husband and family.

Betty was a wonderful caregiver to her husband the last few years of his life as he had declining health and sacrificed much in that care. Her sweetheart passed on only a few weeks before her own death, and the family finds comfort in knowing that Betty and Ray are together again and are continuing their eternal journey together.

Betty passed away on October 10, 2021, just short of her 85th birthday, at home surrounded by her loving family. Betty has requested that black not be worn to her funeral, but rather bright and happy colors to celebrate her life.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 16, 2021, at 12:30 p.m. at the Paradise Ward building located at 1555 West Lovely Road, Taylorsville. Viewings will be held Friday, October 15, from 6-8 p.m. at McDougal Funeral Home located at 4330 South Redwood Road, Taylorsville, and Saturday from 11:30-12:15 at the church prior to the funeral services. Interment, Redwood Memorial Estates, 6500 South Redwood Road, Taylorsville.

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