Elizabeth Hacking

Elizabeth (Betty) Madeline Totten Hacking
POCATELLO - Mrs. Bryce Hacking, at age 88, passed away Wednesday, March 18, 2009, reuniting with her husband, daughter, parents and loved ones that have gone on before her. Her long wait to join her Lord Jesus Christ is over.
Betty was born January 17, 1921, in an upstairs apartment in Long Island City, New York. Her parents, Phillip Totton, a painter, and Marguerite Bruderle Totton, a school teacher, have preceded her in death. Betty started grade school at Public School No. 6 and then finished at St. Andrews. She graduated from St. Agnes Academy High School with honors in 1939. She became a nurse by graduating from St. John's Hospital School of Nursing, again with honors.
In 1945, Betty joined the U.S. Army Nurses Corps and was transferred to Fort Lewis in Washington state. There she met her husband, Bryce, who had been in the Army Air Corps. He had been in a plane crash in Europe and then was transferred to the Madigan Hospital, at Fort Lewis, where they met.
Upon the end of the war, Betty went back to school, attending Marquette University. With the onset of the California polio epidemic, Betty left school and joined the Red Cross to help at Los Angeles General Hospital. She rejoined with Bryce, who was then living in Bakersfield and they married there December 28, 1948.
The couple moved to Archer, Idaho in 1949, to help care for Bryce's mother. In 1955, they moved to Pocatello, and Bryce became a respected residential contractor while Betty managed the books and cared for their growing family.
Over the years Betty had been involved with the Pocatello Catholic community, first at St. Anthony's and then St. Joseph's. She continued to be a volunteer with the Red Cross and has also spent time with the Bannock County Museum, Pocatello Visitors Center and St. Anthony's grade school.
After Bryce retired the couple became "Winter Texans," spending October through March in Kingsville, Texas. Bryce would golf and Betty gave her time to the grade school there being a teacher's helper, always helping wherever it was needed. In December 1989, Bryce passed away and Betty then stayed in Pocatello year-round. She had lived the past eight years with her daughter, Gloria.
Betty is preceded in death by her 2-year-old daughter, Elizabeth and survived by her remaining nine children, Mary Burke, of Idaho Falls, Barbara (Larry) Spence, Loretta (Randy) Jordan, Melvin Hacking, each of Boise, Phillip (Virginia) Hacking, of Caldwell, Michael (Connie) Hacking, Gloria Stieger, Charles Hacking, each of Pocatello and Patricia (Brian) Quenton of Portland, Oregon. She is survived by 18 grandchildren, Chris, Trish, Richard, Michalene, Justin, James , Jennifer, Scott, Kelly, Kimberly, Travis, Larry, Betsy, Tiffani, Jodi, Kasey, Delaney and Lucas; and eight great-grandchildren, Nicole, Ella, Ashton, Mahryeon, Corbin, Cary, Madilynn, and Sarah. She also is survived by her only sibling, Marguerite Perrier of New York; and many nieces and nephews.
She will be missed by us all along with her old bridge partners and many, many friends and loved ones.
Visitors may come and celebrate Betty with a rosary service at 6 p.m. with a viewing to follow at 6:30 p.m. the evening of March 20, 2009, at Downard Funeral Home, 241 North Garfield. Funeral services will be held March 21, 2009, at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph's Chapel, 455 North Hayes, followed by graveside services at Mountain View Cemetery, Section 40 West, with military rites provided by the Pocatello Veterans Honor Guard. A viewing will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. at the funeral home prior to the mass on Saturday.
Betty was an avid hat wearer and we ask that if you wish to honor Betty in a loving way, please wear the most wonderful hat in your closet.
Betty supported the Catholic Church, was a breast cancer survivor of 44 years and continued to always be a Red Cross nurse at heart. She was also a member the DAV Women's Auxiliary. In lieu of flowers, donations to any of these programs would be appreciated.
We would like to give a special thank-you to Creekside Hospice for helping our mother achieve a peaceful death. God bless.