Elizabeth "Betsy" Yeager

1925 - 2021

Elizabeth "Betsy" Yeager
November 26, 1925 - July 4, 2021
Elizabeth "Betsy" Hobart Yeager died peacefully on Sunday, July 4th, 2021, in Rohnert Park. Born in San Francisco in 1925, Betsy grew up in Marin County. At the age of 22 she married Ray Yeager, a popular radio personality in the Bay Area. Together they raised four boys, Bart, Robin, Steven and Douglass during the 1950's, later unofficially adopting Javier Montiel, and finally adding daughter Marion to the family in 1967.
Music lived in Betsy's soul. She studied voice, directed several choirs, played renaissance and baroque instruments in several chamber orchestras and later taught voice, recorder, piano and guitar.
In August 1964, Betsy and Ray's oldest son, Bart, was killed in an automobile accident, causing the two re-evaluate and eventually become missionaries for the Presbyterian Church in 1969. They first served in Bogotá, Colombia , later at the Presbyterian Church Headquarters in New York and finally in Mexico, in the late 1980s.
Betsy was full of love and the Holy Spirit and commanded respect for her views on peace and justice issues, participating in the first Witness for Peace Brigade to northern Nicaragua in the 1980's and the Sanctuary Movement, working both in Mexico and in the Southwest, helping refugees flee violence in Latin America.
In her retirement, Betsy was active in UCC and Presbyterian churches in Sonoma County. She participated in the Rohnert Park Senior Center's autobiographical writing class, and had a wonderful book group. After the death of her husband Ray, Betsy was blessed to meet and marry Stephen Yoas in 2005; Betsy and Stephen enjoyed traveling, socializing, and companionship for ten years before Stephen's passing.
Betsy is survived by her five children, fourteen grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.
Donations in Betsy's memory may be sent to one of her favorite charities: IF, 160 Sunflower Lane, Watsonville, CA 95076 , or by pointing your browser to: www.integrities.org