Elizabeth "Betsy" (Blair) Douglas

Helena - Elizabeth “Betsy” Blair Douglas passed away at her daughter’s home in Helena, MT, on April 26, 2023. She was born on August 28, 1937, to Dr. Montgomery and Mrs. Virginia Blair, in Washington D.C. Starting at a fairly young age she was sent to boarding schools and summer camps. As a teenager she chose to start spending her summers at a dude ranch in Montana. She graduated from Milton Academy in Boston in 1955 and entered Cornell University seeking to major in Wildlife Studies. It was there she met her first husband, Thomas “Tom” Tveter, at the Rifle Club. They were married in September of 1956. Betsy worked for Reader’s Digest before she and Tom moved to Minneapolis, where he worked for an agricultural magazine and she for a grade school. This is where their daughter, Blair, was born in 1960. In March of 1963 they purchased a ranch in the Bitterroot Valley in Montana, near Stevensville. They shared a love of ranch life for eleven years, before Tom passed away in 1974. Her identity as a rancher was something Betsy cherished for 60 years of her life. Betsy was a very active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS). It was here that she met her second husband, Victor (Vic) Douglas. They were married in February of 1975. Betsy embraced her role as a stepmother to Vic’s nine children, five of whom were still at home at the time of their marriage. All of her family has counted on her for wise and thoughtful counsel. After they became empty-nesters in the 1990’s, Betsy and Vic went on a church mission to Nevada for a year and a half. Being civic-minded was always important to Betsy. For example, she worked as an election judge for many years. She was a founding board member for Genesis House in Stevensville, a transitional facility for women with mental health issues which opened in 1976. She remained active for over three decades. Additionally, she was on the board for the Clothes Closet, a non-profit which provides free clothing, linens and kitchen supplies. Over her lifetime, Betsy was avidly interested in participating in many sports and hobbies. Competitive sports included: Softball, Badminton, and Bowling. Hobbies included: bird-watching, canoeing, fly-fishing, hunting, quilting, clogging, genealogy, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, and reading. She was also dedicated to supporting family in any pursuit of additional education. Betsy was preceded in death by: her parents; sister Beatrice Blair; husbands Thomas Tveter and Victor Douglas; and step-son Victor Douglas, Jr. She is survived by: sisters Judith Blair and Edith Blair; daughter Blair Tveter Lund (Duane); and step-children Rick Douglas (Sherri), Mollie Verrue (Donald), Marci Bumgarner (Denver), Shelly Westfall (Steve), Gilbert Douglas (Debbie), Greg Douglas, Curtis Douglas, and Sara Douglas. She is also survived by: grandchildren Michael Lund (Melissa), Alexis Lund, and Thomas Lund (Mackenzie Redmond); great-granddaughters Abigail, Sofia, Madeline, Laura, and Emma Lund; many nieces and nephews; and numerous step- grandchildren and great-grandchildren whom she all loved as her own. Step-grandchildren Jaden and Penny Douglas lived in Betsy and Vic’s home for much of their childhood. A service celebrating Betsy’s life will be held at the LDS Church in Stevensville on May 20th, at 11:00 am, followed by a graveside service at the Victor Cemetery and then a luncheon back at the church. All are welcome. For anyone who would like to make a donation in Betsy’s honor, the family is suggesting sending it to: Genesis House, 116 College St., Stevensville, MT 59870

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