Sara Woody Gehr

Sara Elizabeth “Betty” Woody Gehr of Spokane, Washington, passed away on March 26, 2020, after a long, exciting, and blessed life. Born June 5, 1922, Betty was the third of four girls born to Sara Douthat Clark Woody and Kirkwood Lester Woody, in Charlotte Court House, Virginia. After high school, Betty went to nursing training at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. In WWII, she joined the United States Army Nursing Corps as a Lieutenant. Betty trained at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, before being shipped to the Philippines immediately after the liberation of the islands. After the war she returned to her home state of Virginia and continued her nursing career in Richmond. Here, she met her future husband, Keith Donald Gehr, of Butler, Pennsylvania. Betty and Keith lived in the same apartment building, right next door to each other, and in the sticky summer heat they would sit around with all the neighbors, their feet in a kiddie pool, eating watermelon together. Betty and Keith were married in 1954, and never looked back.

After Keith accepted a new job in Washington State, the family packed up with their first little baby for a grand cross-country adventure out west. Betty kept active raising three beautiful, closely spaced children, with Girl Scouts, and with the Episcopal Church. Betty actively expedited family camping, hiking, road trips, and explorations. In retirement, Betty moved with her husband to Spokane where they settled on the Northside, watching their grandson Matthew grow into adulthood, continuing activities with their church and cherished friends. Betty appreciated the four distinct seasons of Spokane, the friendly neighbors, light traffic, as well as the Spokane Symphony and Civic Theater. Betty was an active congregant of St. David’s Episcopal Church.

Betty is survived by her husband of 65 years, Keith Donald Gehr, her three children Sara Gehr Kvaas, Anne Coogan-Gehr, and John Keith Gehr, their spouses Bob, Kelly, and Elise, and their grandchildren Matthew, Jennifer, Carly, and Terry.

Betty was a generous person—kind, open hearted, caring, engaged, and deeply loved by many. Betty, with all our love, Godspeed on life’s next great adventure.

Services will be announced for a later date.

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