Victoria Bettes | Obit

Victoria Tennant Bettes

March 28, 1948- March 20, 2026

Surrounded by family, Victoria (Vicki) Gardiner Tennant Bettes of North Bend, WA, passed away in her home on Friday, March 20, 2026, one day shy of her 78th birthday. She had recently been diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease.

Born on March 21,1948 to Dr. Maurice (Brick) and Jane Vinnedge Tennant of North Bend, Vicki was the precocious youngest of four. She loved to ride the family horses, play with Snuffy the beagle, annoy her older siblings, and run around the woods behind her home with neighborhood friends and cousins. At North Bend Elementary, she met a group of girls who would become life long friends, known later as “The Ya-Yas.” At the age of 12, Vicki was adopted by her uncle and aunt, Bob and Doris Vinnedge, after the deaths of her parents. She then attended The Bush School in Seattle, which was a boarding school at the time, where she graduated in 1966.

Eager to move as far away as possible, Vicki attended Lasell Junior College (now Lasell University) in Newton, Mass. While at Lasell, she met Ward Bettes, who was attending Babson Institute of Business Administration, at a snow ball fight. According to family lore, she couldn’t keep her balance because she was wearing loafers without socks in six inches of snow. Ward knew instantly that “this beautiful woman needed help,” and walked her back to her dorm. They were married on a blistering hot August 15, 1970 in the North Bend Community Church. Ward and Vicki moved to Honolulu, Hawai’i, where Ward was stationed with the Coast Guard. After being discharged, they moved to Ward’s home state of New Jersey and had their first daughter Cynthia (Cindy). Soon after, the young family moved to Oakland, California, then Bellevue, Washington, where they welcomed their second daughter Sarah, nicknamed Sally. They returned to the Valley in 1978 to raise their daughters near family.

Vicki worked as a paraeducator from 1984 to 2008, first at Snoqualmie Elementary then Fall City Elementary, where she ran the school computer labs. Her classrooms were decorated with local sports memorabilia and at one time, a 12 foot, 3D paper orca whale hanging from the ceiling.

Vicki was a believer in community service, and dedicated much of her life to helping others. She supported her daughters’ activities as a Girl Scout “cookie mom” and troop leader, and was a frequent chaperone with the North Bend Elementary Panther Pride Demonstration Team. Vicki served on the boards of the Snoqualmie Valley Youth Center, the Snoqualmie Valley Garden Club, and Snoqualmie Valley Museum. She worked with local governmental agencies to bring about Tennant Trailhead Park, built on land formerly owned by her parents. For many years she and her daughters ran the ticket booth at the SOVREN Northwest Historics Car Race and Car Show, helping raise millions for Seattle Children’s Hospital Uncompensated Care Fund.

Although she did not attend Mount Si High School, Vicki helped organize many reunions for her friends in the class of 1966. To thank her for the support, she was awarded an honorary diploma at the 40th reunion in 2008. She hosted the Ya-Yas and spouses (the Yo-Yos) for holiday parties and traveled with this crazy group of lifelong friends.

Vicki loved to garden, growing delicious berries and vegetables. She enjoyed baking, playing cards, and reading mysteries. Throughout this, Vicki loved supporting sports. She listened to Mariners games while she gardened, and attended home Husky football games and Rose Bowls. She volunteered at the 1990 Seattle Goodwill Games as a part of the crew that cleaned the floors during volleyball games. Most recently, Ward and Vicki traveled to support their granddaughter Easton’s softball team.

Vicki was preceded in death by her siblings Ann Holland, John Tennant and Jean Tennant, cousin/brother Gardiner Vinnedge, and adopted parents Bob and Doris Vinnedge.

Vicki is survived by her husband of 55 years Ward, daughters Cindy Bettes and Sally Torres, sons-in-law Charles Johnson and Mark Torres, granddaughter Easton Torres, cousin/brother Rob Vinnedge, and cousin/sister-in-law Janice Osaka.

A gathering to celebrate Vicki’s life will be held at the Snoqualmie Valley Youth Center on August 29, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A Facebook Event titled “Celebration of Life for Vicki Bettes” will have additional details.

In lieu of flowers, the Bettes family would like to encourage donations to the Snoqualmie Valley Museum or the Snoqualmie Valley Youth Center.