Obituaries

Elizabeth Jean Stockard

Obituary

May 16th, 1919 - November 16th, 2025

Elizabeth Jean “Betty” (Riley) Stockard, 106, passed peacefully in her sleep on November 16th in Redmond, Washington. Born May 16, 1919, Betty lived a remarkable and full life that began on her parents’ homestead near Niarada, Montana.

She was born in Kalispell, Montana, after her mother, Charlotte, endured a multi-hour horse-and-buggy ride to reach the hospital. Betty spent her early childhood on the homestead before the family returned to Kalispell, where her father, Valjean Riley, worked the family dairy. There, she grew up alongside her older sister Laura and younger siblings Don, Rich, and Phyllis. Some of her fondest memories were riding with her father to deliver dairy products to Glacier National Park—a place she loved and visited often throughout her life.

After graduating from Flathead High School in 1937 and attending Montana State University for two years, Betty moved to Seattle to support the war effort. She worked at Boeing before spotting an ad in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: United Airlines was hiring stewardesses to replace nurses needed for wartime service. With two years of home economics coursework, Betty qualified and joined United’s first class of non-nurse flight attendants in 1942.

She often shared stories from those years, always with a twinkle in her eye—like the time she sat next to Clark Gable on a flight from Medford to San Francisco and gave him her lunch. She also spoke fondly of Eleanor Roosevelt, who flew with her on multiple occasions.

In 1947, Betty married Ray Stockard, a Pan American World Airways pilot. At the time, stewardesses were not allowed to be married, so her flying career ended—but her adventures were just beginning. As Ray advanced through the ranks at Pan Am, the couple moved frequently during their early years together, living in San Francisco, Seattle, New York, and Miami before settling permanently in Seattle. By then, they had four children in tow and a lifetime of travel ahead.

Betty was a devoted mother, especially during Ray’s long absences abroad. She took the kids hiking, skiing, and on summer trips back to Montana. After Ray’s passing in 1990, she remained active—gardening, reading voraciously, and traveling with Elderhostel programs whenever she could. She cherished visits from friends and family, especially when they brought fresh flowers.

In 2019, Betty celebrated her 100th birthday with a special event at the Seattle Museum of Flight. United Airlines honored her with a delegation and a feature in their Hemispheres inflight magazine—an experience that thrilled her beyond words.

Betty held a special place in her heart for Penne Greene, a longtime friend and caregiver whose companionship brought her great joy.

She is survived by her children: Joe Stockard (Peggy Snyder) of Seattle, WA; Denise Cruz (Joe) of Duvall, WA; Ed Stockard (Torre) of Winthrop, WA; and Richard Stockard (Wei Qi) of San Diego, CA. Her grandchildren include Rachel and Joseph Cruz, Kristin Langley, and Riley, Dylan, and Sam Stockard. She is also survived by great-grandchildren Adriel and Ben Langley, and Rye Cruz.