The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Beth (Betty) Lloyd Tietjen passed away in Spokane, Wash., on May 20, 2015.   She was born in Waitsburg, WA on Dec. 31, 1919, the daughter of George Marvin and Mary Caroline (Calla) Summers Lloyd. She was the descendent of two of the early settlers of the Waitsburg area, Albert Gallatin and Lois Jasper Lloyd who had come west on the Oregon Trail in the 1840's and 1850's with their respective parents.  

   Beth graduated from Waitsburg High School (approx. 1938), attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash., and Kelsey-Baird Secretarial School in Spokane, Wash.  She graduated from Central Washington State College in Ellensburg, WA in 1956 with a degree in Education.  She earned a Master's Degree in Counseling in Education from the University of Southern California in the mid-1960's.

On June 4, 1956 she married Edward E Tietjen Jr. in Waitsburg, Wash. They met in Ellensburg, Wash., and had a son, Mark R. Tietjen.  She also had a daughter, Leslie Race Rinehart from a previous marriage.

 Throughout her life she sought out opportunities to learn and experience new things and ideas.  In the late 1930's she obtained her Pilot's License at Felts Field in Spokane. She enjoyed a long career in Teaching and Counselling at the junior high and high school levels, frequently taking classes herself to increase her knowledge for the benefit of her students.Teachers she worked with have said that she had a profound understanding of people and served as a mentor for beginning teachers. She served as president of the Teachers' Union in the Central Valley School District. 

  The Spokane Retired Educators' Association, Spokane Rock Rollers Club, Good Sam's RV group,  Spokane Jewelers Guild and Alpha Chi Omega sorority were a few of the groups to which she belonged.

    After her retirement from education she studied jewelery making, specializing in gold and silversmithing. One of her greatest pleasures was caring for her granddaughter Kiira Tietjen and decorating eggs with her each Easter for 20+ years.  When Beth visited her daughter and brother in Albuquerque, New Mexico,  she took pleasure in exploring on her own, visiting rattlesnake pits, abandoned silver mines and trying parasailing while enjoying long family visits.  Beth found adventure in whatever she did. She had an infectious laugh, a ready wit, a flash-fire temper and was a free spirit who enjoyed life. 

  She was preceded in death by her husband Edward E Tietjen on April 17, 2014, her parents, George Marvin Lloyd and Mary Caroline (Calla) Summers Lloyd, her sister, Helen Lloyd Shaffner, and her brother, George Marvin Lloyd II.  

 Beth is survived by her daughter, Leslie Race Rinehart and husband Eric Rinehart;  son, Mark R. Tietjen and wife Francine Neal Tietjen;  granddaughters Kiira Tietjen and husband Will Normington and Elizabeth Rinehart;  grandsons Adam and wife Sarah Zurcher Rinehart and Alex Rinehart, her sister-in-law Christina Gomez Lloyd, two great-granddaughters and several nieces and nephews.

We wish to thank Park Place in Spokane, Wash., for their loving care the last two years of her life.  Even though her memory was failing she continued to be interested in all that was going on around her.

If desired, donations may be made to the Lloyd Family Scholarship Fund at Waitsburg High School or the Waitsburg High School Alumni Association Scholarship Fund (509-529-4371).