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Bette Hagman Obituary
Bette Bush HAGMAN, a.k.a., The Gluten-Free Gourmet Age 85, passed away peacefully on August 17, 2007 at her home in Seattle with her daughter, Karol, by her side. Bette was diagnosed with celiac disease, an intolerance to wheat, barley and rye, when she was around the age of 50. From that point forward, she dedicated herself to improving the quality of life for celiac sufferers worldwide. She was a self-taught food scientist who revolutionized gluten-free cooking by developing a number of non-gluten flour blends that replace wheat flour and dramatically expand the number of tasty foods that celiacs could prepare. Bette was an author, a teacher of writing, and a lecturer, speaking throughout the United States and Canada. Bette authored six cookbooks as Bette Hagman, a.k.a., The Gluten-Free Gourmet, and was in the middle of writing her seventh book when she passed away. Bette was a member of, and very involved with, The Writers Guild, Pacific Northwest Writer's Association, Puget Sound Sisters in Crime, and the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America for many years. The celiac community will dearly miss Bette for her energy and passion in helping to improve the lives of people with gluten intolerances through developing good tasting foods. Bette was born in Portland, Oregon, graduated from Estacadia High School at 16, and entered Linfield College, where she met Joe, her husband of 65 years. Bette spent her adult life in Seattle enjoying waterskiing, snowskiing, and golfing, as well as exploring the world on tours and cruises with her family and friends. She dearly loved the family vacation home on Stretch Island where the tranquil country setting invigorated the author in her and fostered her love of gardening. She is survived by her daughter, Karol, sister, Eva Jean, two step great-granddaughters, and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws. A Celebration of her Life will be held on Sunday, October 21, 2007. If you wish to attend, please contact Gluten Intolerance Group of North America at 253 833-6655 or [email protected]. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to American Celiac Disease Alliance, ACDA, (Please annotate on the check, "In memory of Bette Hagman.") Mail to: ACDA, c/o Gluten Intolerance Group of America, 31214 124th Ave SE, Auburn, WA 98092.To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Bette Hagman
Brian
October 16, 2007
Bette's books have blessed me.
Madelyn Smith
September 30, 2007
Karol,
Right after I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I attended a national conference. Not only did I go to your Mom's presentation where she was demonstrating bread cooking with the help of some of her testers, but I was fortunate to enjoy eating breakfast with her one morning. She told me that she was determined in her life, that everyone who ate at her house, would eat gluten-free and never know the difference! I have eaten Featherlight Bread from her Bread cookbook everyday since. It's the best! I have purchased all her cookbooks, and my family has benefited from her expertise as has my GIG Branch! May you be comforted now knowing that your Mom made a huge difference in so many gluten intolerant lives!
Mary Lipka
September 30, 2007
Karol,
I never had the pleasure of meeting your mother but I am truely greatful for her. When I was diagnosis in 2004, hers were the first books I was introduced to and they changed my life. She may have left us but through her generousity to share her knowledge of cooking to remain gluten-free, she will be with us forever. All my sympathy to you and all who knew her.
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Mare Moran
September 29, 2007
Bette invited me to be a tester - I didn't have the time.
Thank you for the lesson, and I'm sorry that it took your death for me to learn it.
Janet Rinehart
September 26, 2007
I loved your mother. As humble and unassuming as she was, she was tenacious about making very tasty gluten-free foods. Her recipes were very well tested. I helped her sell her first cookbook at the CSA conference, after testing a few of the recipes. We were friends thereafter. She was indeed a huge influence on so many celiacs' lives to be able to bake good GF meals for their families. I was diagnosed when only Marion Wood had a cookbook, so Bette's development of a combination of flours was a huge improvement! She was a wonderful, warm person. I am so sorry she had to suffer toward the end with taking care of your father and with her own osteoporotic pain. Do believe she definitely made a difference!
Karen Marvin
September 24, 2007
Dear Karol,
Please accept my sympathy in your time of grief.
Your mother changed my life. She taught me how to improve my health. I will be forever grateful.
Carolyn Randall
September 23, 2007
Karol,
I first met your mother at a CSA conference in 1988. She was working on her first cookbook at that time. She was a wonderful lady and used her energy to make every celiac's life better. Her cookbooks, full of new information and tested recipes, are wonderful ~ a Celiac Cook's Encyclopedia.
Jay Berger
September 22, 2007
Bette was my GF idol and I was honored to have known her. Although she never gave the impression she was the baking goddess and celebrity she was, she kick started our ability to successfully create GF baked goods with all her wonderful contributions and knowledge. Bette was gracious, warm, and humble beyond fault. We have lost a legend. Please except our heartfelt sympathies for your loss. Sincerely,
Jay Berger, Miss Roben's aka Allergy Grocer
Lynda Swink
September 22, 2007
Dear Karol,
I had the privilege to meet your mother in Los Angles at a conference many years ago. Her wisdom as she spoke to us was encouraging as at that time I was newly diagnosed and tearfully wondering "what can I eat now?" Bette has left a legacy to us all through her cookbooks. My heart goes out to you and your family.
Roxi DiSalvo
September 19, 2007
Dear Karol
Yes, I too have used your mom's cookbooks, so much so that I had to photocopy one of the recipe pages before it was unreadable, covered with rice flour! But, I also lost my mom this year and I truly sympathize with you...its very hard. You are in my prayers.
Nancy Messing
September 19, 2007
Bette will live on through all of her wonderful recipes that enrich all our lives. I just made her pizza dough last night and served broccoli pizza for dinner. I thought of her as I made it as I'm sure so many others do every time they cook from one of her books. Is there any better legacy?
Clare Scheffer
September 18, 2007
Many members of my expanded family have been diagnosed with celiac disease beginning in the year 2000. Bette's books were the first cookbooks we found with gluten free recipes. Bette enabled many of us to become successful gluten free cook.
I met Bette a couple of years later in Tacoma at a GIG-sponsored bread baking workshop. Her knowledge, her presence, her love for delicious gluten-free foods made the 150 mile round trip more than worthwhile.
Bette, you are missed. I'm sure God welcomed you with His loving arms.
Thank you, Bette!
Gary & Kathy Powers
September 18, 2007
We had the pleasure of meeting Bette at our first CSA conference. What a lovely lady. She was sitting very quietly answering many questions from a crowd of people who had gathered around her chair while she autographed her books. Bette had time for every question and made everyone who met her feel like the most important person in the world.
Bette was loved by all, and was a true pioneer. We will think of her every time we pick up one of her worn cookbooks on the shelf in our kitchen.
Michele Stalewski
September 18, 2007
Dear Karol,
You have my deepest sympathy in the passing of your mother. I have two of her GF cookbooks and use them often. Not only are the recipes helpful and delicious but she wrote her books with a positive and upbeat attitude--I found myself thinking...maybe this Celiac thing isn't as difficult as I thought.
Thank you Bette.
Carol Jackson
September 18, 2007
Dear Karol
From voices in your past in Olympic Manor, we are so sorry about the passing of your mom. We remember things other than the GF networking with which she was so famous.
She was a woman with great artistic talent (mosiacs), gardening and writing. I remember she wrote a book "A Day in the Life of Karol" which I thought was so charming. Our deep sympathies for the loss you feel.
Fondly,
Lucy McLean and daughters Carol and Linda
Shirley Hodges
September 18, 2007
My sympathy to the family of Bette Hagman. After my daughters were diagnosed with celiac disease, The Gluten-Free Gourmet was my main source of information, and I have used many of the recipes several times. Thanks to her hard work our "new way of cooking" has made for many happy and satisfying meal times.
Beth Morgan
September 18, 2007
Dear Karol,
Please know that our prayers are with you and your family during this time. I was another clueless celiac helped by your mom's books and CD wisdom. God has used her to help those of us who have been diagnosed and will use her to help those to come. I'm sure you're so proud of her. Thank you for sharing her with us all these years. God bless you and be with you today.
Martha Russell
September 17, 2007
Karol and family,
I wanted to let you know you are in my thoughts and prayers at this time.
I am grateful for all your Mom did to help the celiac community and to make our lives richer.
She has left a wonderful legacy for all of us to help each other and share in any way possible to further understadning of celiac disease.
Cheryl Wilson
September 17, 2007
On Behalf of Southern Arizona Celiac Support (CSA Chapter 15) I want to say that we are ALL so grateful for what Betty did to help celiacs and the gluten-intolerant all over the globe...she will be sorely missed!
Marlene Kier
September 17, 2007
Bette helped me change my way of cooking GF with her cookbooks. We had the pleasure of having her spend a couple of days with us when she came to speak to the Rochester (NY) support group in 2003. She was a delight and I grew to love her after the first time I met her. She will always be in my memories as I still use her books often.
Laurel Hodges
September 17, 2007
What a special person Mrs. Hagman is to all of us who cherish her cookbooks and culinary pioneering! Hers was the first book I bought after being diagnosed with Celiac and it helped me no end. We are thinking about her family at this time.
T J
September 17, 2007
What a wonderful lady for the Celiac community - she will be missed. At least we'll always have her great cook books and all future Celiacs will as well. Bette was a blessing to us all and we'll never forget her.
Linda Godwin
September 17, 2007
When I was diagnosed with Celiac in 2001, the first GF cookbook I bought was one of Bette's. Now I have almost all of them and use them often. Her life touched the lives of many people. I hope it is of some comfort to her family to know that Bette's life made a difference to so many.
Debbie Walheim
September 17, 2007
Bette Hagman is a shining example of how one person's life can touch so very many others and ripple in effect to do so much good throughout the world. Like so many others, our family would have been lost when we were first diagnosed without Bette's cookbooks. She gave me hope and courage!
I know that when Bette reached the Pearly Gates, she got a standing ovation! Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, and we hope they take comfort in their mother having lived life to the fullest and having helped so many others.
God bless!
Joan Bellows
September 17, 2007
I am another Celiac whose life was made richer by the many cookbooks Bette wrote. Bette was able to make cooking easy, fun and healthy. Thank you for the wonderful gift, Bette, you provided for all of the Celiacs.
Kathy Dee Zasloff
September 17, 2007
Your Mom is an inspiration to me. Her vision and inspiration will continue in my work and programs. My thoughts are with you and your family.
Denise Castelli
September 17, 2007
Our sincerest condolences to Bette's family. We turned to Bette's cookbooks when my daughter was first diagnosed with CD at age 11. She certainly touched our lives when we needed help. We have great admiration for her. Not only was she a 'Gluten Free Gourmet', Bette was also a Gluten Free Pioneer. God Bless!
JoAnn Garcia
September 17, 2007
My sincere condolences to you, Karol and family.I had met Betty twice at the conferences and have two cookbook signed by her.I have all her cookbooks. She has helped us celiacs so much. We will miss her. v/r JoAnn Garcia
sharon
September 17, 2007
your mom helped me so much with her cook books.she was a great lady
LEO MEHAN
September 16, 2007
Rest in peace bette and turn the radio down please, joe is tring to rest;MAY GOD KEEP YOU.
Kirsten Klinghammer
September 16, 2007
I never had the opportunity to meet Bette in person, but she touched my life very dramatically. After years of illness, I finally learned I had celiac disease. This now known, I faced the challenges of finding safe foods to eat. Luckily for me, Bette had been tackling this challenge before me, so that I could benefit from her recently published first cookbook, The Gluten-Free Gourmet. Her subsequent cookbooks and her inspiration helped me tremendously to return to a normal life. I'm happy to say that I introduced others to her books as well, and I know she inspired quite a few other cooks and bakers to publish further gluten-free cookbooks which have benefited us all.
I'm sure that her friends and family must have tremendously many more reasons to remember Bette fondly; I thank them for sharing her with us! Please know that I am another sending you best wishes at this time.
Lisa Hughes
September 16, 2007
My deepest sympathies, Karol, and to the rest of your family. Bette was such an inspiration, and you will never know how much she helped countless people who were struggling with the diagnosis of Celiac! It is such an overwhelming situation to be in, and your mother allowed us to push forward and to embrace the diet with her delicious, but easy to make recipes! I am sure that she has saved numerous people, who would have given up trying to eat gluten free, and consequently would have continued to be ill! You should be extremely proud to be her daughter! Bless all of you!
Jaclyn Martyn
September 16, 2007
Thank you Bette. I would not be the baker that I am without your visionary, and ground breaking work in gluten free cuisine. Your memory will live on in the hearts and stomachs of all Celiac's.
Rita Malkin
September 16, 2007
Bette Hagman was my idol. After being diagnosed with celiac disease 35 years ago I was totally lost. There was no one around who could help me. Even my dietician was clueless. She claimed she had never heard of celiac disease. Then I found Bette's cookbook and she completely turned my life around. Now, being a celiac is no longer an oddity and it's due, primarily, to Bette's perserverance. My sincere condolences to her family and friends. She will be sorely missed.
Lynn Pipher
September 16, 2007
My deepest condolences for the loss of a wonderful woman. I didn't know her personally, but her cookbooks were the first I reached for when I finally got my diagnosis of celiac disease. Her books were a far cry from that my father was handed upon his diagnosis in the 1980s from a Toronto hospital. All the booklet had were a few typewritten sheets with various gluten free recipes. Bette Hagman certainly took us all to a new plateau of cooking and eating. I am so sorry for her family's loss....and please know that it is a huge loss to our celiac community.
Lynn
Rhonda Henneberry
September 16, 2007
Thank you, Bette. You made such a difference!
Max and Jake Renke
September 16, 2007
Dear Karol,
We are very sad to hear of your mother's passing. God has an endless supply of Gluten Free food for your mom Betty in heaven. Why go back to gluten in heaven...Gluten Free is healthier.
Please know that we will all try to hold up Celiac Disease awareness now that she is gone. God bless you Karol. Prayers.
From: Max and Jake Renke and The I Can't Eat "THAT" Club!
Kate Chan
September 16, 2007
Thank you Bette for making becoming GF *so* very much easier for those of us who followed. Countless families, children and adults!, have benefited from your food pioneering and you have truly opened doors to eating again for many.
May your spirit rest and relish the rewards you've earned by being part angel for many here on Earth already.
Cheryl Hutchinson
September 16, 2007
I know Bette never intended to be a cookbook author, a pioneer, a celiac celebrity - but the world is a better place because she had the courage to do what needed to be done. We will always be grateful and cherish our memories of her.
Kathy Engel
September 16, 2007
Karol
Sincere condolances on the loss of your Mother, Bette. She did much to enrich the lives of many and will long be remembered in the Celiac community.
God Bless you All
Esther Paris
September 16, 2007
Rest in peace, wonderful Gluten Free Gourmet. Thank you for all you've done. You are loved and missed.
Ardis North
September 16, 2007
I met Bette Hagman at one of the first Gluten Intolerance Group support meetings that I attended some 35 years ago. Through the years I grew very fond of Bette, being involved with different activities of GIG. Many of her cookbook recipes are in my "favorites" folder. She was a very special lady and will be greatly missed.
Debbie Munson
September 16, 2007
Bette was so sweet! She sat next to me at a conference and we traded cooking stories.She touched so many.
Olive and Su Kaiser
September 16, 2007
Our heartfelt sympathies to Bette's family. My daughter Su and I used Bette's Gluten Free Gourmet Bakes Bread as our first gluten free cookbook. It was a godsend in a traumatic phase of our lives. We have all her cookbooks now. We honor her as a forerunner for us. Bette paved the way during those long solitary years when she struggled without the help we enjoy now with this diet, thanks to her hard work.
She will be loved and remembered as our "Gluten Free Mom".
Sincerely,
Olive and Su Kaiser
Addison, IL
www.glutenreactivity.net
Genevieve Potts
September 16, 2007
Karol, your mom will be truly missed. Yesterday, I had a question and thought for a minute, "I'll ask Bette", when realization hit that she won't be answering our questions any more; however, with all the work she did on her recipes, we can now take care of ourselves. We have good breads-not brick-rice bread. We have wonderful desserts, pancakes, waffles, and other good things to eat. She gave the celiac world a wonderful gift. Love, Genevieve
Sarah Camp
September 16, 2007
Bette was a great source of help to my father in the early 80s and has been to me and my daughter in years since. She will be remembered with love for her dedication to the celiac community.
Goldie Hanson
September 16, 2007
Losing Bette is a great loss. I enjoyed working with her at the GIG office and going to her Island home for picnics. Couldn't have made it without her cookbooks. They were a life saver when I was first diagnosed. We'll miss you Bette.
Heidi Collins
September 16, 2007
When I was first diagnosed with celiac, my grandmother, who also has celiac, bought me one of Bette's cookbooks. This opened my eyes to the possibilities of cooking with variety despite diet restrictions.
Bette left the world a better place than she found it, a good example for everyone. Instead of being defeated by a diagnosis, or focusing on herself, she instead turned her energies outward and pioneered a revolution.
I am thankful for Bette and for what she did to make life better for the celiac community. My thoughts are with her family-- know that she touched a lot of lives.
Pat Lynch-Dopkin
September 16, 2007
Bette made our transition to the gluten free lifestyle MUCH easier. We will always be thankful for her books!
Sandra Mayer
September 16, 2007
Although I never met Bette, I feel as though I have lost a friend. Her book, the Gluten Free Gourmet, was the first g.f. cook book I purchased upon my diagnosis and with it I was able to face my new gluten free life confident that my love of baking could continue. I regret never having had the opportunity to meet and thank her personally for all she did for me and everyone with gluten intolerance. May she rest in peace.
Sharon Viney
September 16, 2007
I feel that Bette is a special member of our family as she has helped us successfully adjust to our son's celiac disease. I have all her cookbooks as well as always ordering her flour mixes. She was an Angel to our family with her expert advice. Out thoughts are with your family as you celebrate her wonderful life.
Rose Cooper
September 16, 2007
My deepest condolences to Bette Hagmans family. She helped so many people in this world.
Elisabeth Carus
September 16, 2007
I have often thought of your mother since I met her at a program in Philadelphia. Although I only knew her as the "Gluten Free Gourmet" from reading her books and the one conversation I had with her it was obvious that she was someone very special. She is an excellent role model for those that knew her both for her dedication to learning how to make GF be more than YUCK and for her personality that shone through in her books and in person.
I was saddened to see that you had also lost your father last year.
Please accept my condolences on your double loss.
colleen roethe
September 16, 2007
I will miss Bette I have everyone of her cookbooks. I met Bette at my 1st celiac confrence in 2001. I had the honor to sit with her at one of the lunches. It was the highlight of the conference. I use her books every week and they have made gf cooking much earsier.
Joyce Redman
September 16, 2007
Ms. Hagman was the source and the authority on how eat gluten-free with information on what Celiac Disease was and gave me countless recipes for me to eat like a normal person! I bought every one of her books and am so thankful to her for being the fountainhead for so many other cookbook authors to use her as the way to show others how to eat gluten-free. God really knew what he was doing when he created Bette.
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