Obituary of Bette Sue Cool

Bette Sue Cool, 62, passed away peacefully on January 2, 2024, at Vibra Hospital in Boise after suffering a brief illness and complications from a stroke in December 2020. She was “Ford Tough” and gave it her all but also had a strong faith in our Lord God, Jesus Christ and lived by the words, “For we walk by faith, not by sight”. In the end, as she often said, she truly had to “Let Go, Let God.”

Bette Sue (Ford) Cool was born in Riverton, Wyoming on August 17, 1961, to Bonita Jean (Linville) and James Melvin Ford. Bette and her parents, together with her older brother, Gene, lived in the Gas Hills of Wyoming at the time but moved back to Salmon, Idaho when Bette was about a year old. There, the family welcomed two more sisters for Bette and Gene: Laurie and Bonnie Gail. Bette grew up on a ranch. As a girl, she loved playing horses and cowboys with her brother, Gene, and running around with her cousins having cattail fights. Family gatherings always included picnics and barbeques as well as family reunions and camping.

Bette attended Salmon schools from kindergarten until her graduation from Salmon High in 1979. She moved to Pocatello after graduating, and inspired by her sister, Laurie’s challenges, she began working her way through the Elementary Education program at Idaho State. She graduated from ISU in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts concentrating in Special Education. She started out by teaching special ed in Aberdeen, taught for three years at Bliss, and then a year in Mountain Home, Idaho. She always advocated for students and involved parents as much as possible.

In 1993, she met the love of her life, Jeff Cool, after answering a personal ad in the Idaho Statesman. They were married in Salmon on October 2, 1993 and began their life together in Boise. About a year and a half after their son, Ben, was born, they moved to the Kuna area. Bette loved Kuna for the small-town atmosphere that, in many ways, reminded her of Salmon. A couple of years later, they had a daughter, Sarah.

Always the teacher, Bette worked hard at being a stay-at-home mom and thoroughly involved herself in her childrens’ educations from pre-school years right up until college. At the Kuna United Methodist Church, she taught Sunday school and was the Sunday school superintendent for two years. Bette enjoyed cooking and baking and was always trying new recipes. Her slogan at mealtime was, “Life is short; let’s eat dessert first.”

Bette always enjoyed family vacations and the respite they provided. Many camping trips around Idaho often included staying in Twin Creeks up near Salmon. Some one-time vacations took her and her family to San Diego, Tuscon, Yellowstone, Glacier Park, the Oregon and Washington coasts, Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse, and Mackinaw, Michigan, as well as numerous visits to Jeff’s family in Massachusetts. Bette loved reading and fostered a love for it in her two children, as well.

Bette was preceded in death by her parents, James and Bonita Ford, and her sister, Laurie.

She is survived by her husband Jeffrey, their son, Benjamin, and daughter Sarah, all of Meridian; her brother, Gene Ford (Jody Glispy) of Carlin, Nevada; sister, Bonnie Gail (Glen) Benjamin of Salmon, Idaho;  brother-in-law James (Joann) Cool of Feeding Hills, Massachusetts; aunt, Myrna Christenot of Boise; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews as well as Huckleberry, the family dog.

Bette’s family is grateful for the care and resources provided to her over the last few years by the dedicated staff and employees of St. Luke’s Healthcare System, Shaw Mountain of Cascadia, Vibra Hospital of Boise, Multi-Care of Meridian, Doctor’s Housecalls, Treasure Valley Housecalls and Norco.