Bethel Florine Pickering Edmon

Bethel (Beth) Edmon passed away peacefully in Portland at 94 years old, surrounded by her loving family.

Beth was the oldest of five children of Avery Pickering and Florine Reed Pickering. She was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on July 11, 1922. She was 15 years old in 1937 when she moved with her family to Los Angeles, California. She graduated from Van Nuys High School, and then went back to Nebraska to attend the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

A longtime resident of Portland, she moved to Oregon in 1945 soon after she married. She worked many years for the Portland Public School District at Madison, Adams, and Franklin High Schools as a school secretary.

She retired in 1984 from the school district. After retiring, Beth enjoyed her friends at the N.E. Portland YMCA and the Providence Hospital swimming pool. She also enjoyed her various watercolor classes. She was a member of P.E.O. Chapter CH in Portland for over 50 years. For many years Beth attended Rose City Park Presbyterian Church where she sang in the choir and played piano for Sunday School. She loved trips to the Oregon coast and the many family gatherings there throughout the years.

Survivors include her brothers Avery Pickering, Eugene Pickering and sister Adele Chenoweth. She was preceded in death by her sister Lesley Berry in 2015.

She is also survived by her three daughters, Nancy Franco and her husband Tom, Susan Torian, Barbara Rawls and her husband Dale; her grandchildren Jeremy Torian, Jennifer Ensign and her husband Bo, Bryan Torian and his partner Monica, and Sean Rawls; her great-grandchildren Nicholas Torian, Emily Torian, Kristopher Torian, Miles Ensign and Stella Ensign; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held later in the year.