11 August, 2022
Kathaleen "Bette" (Burr) Oehley, 97, died Tuesday, August 9, 2022, at Beaumont Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center in Westborough. She was the wife of the late Donald Oehley to whom she was married for 47 years. She was the daughter of the late Frank Burr and Kathleen (Frizzell) Burr.
Born at just 3 pounds, on the family farm in Southborough, Bette was not expected to survive. Bette grew up on Dairy farms and was the first female milk delivery person for Sunshine Dairy, via horse & wagon.
She had a love of animals and a passion for horses. Her horse’s name was Tippy, a little white cow pony with an attitude. She rode Tippy to round up cows, to school, and on dates, (you had to ride a horse to get a date with Bette). She loved gardening, flowers, and fresh corn on the cob.
Throughout her life Bette lived in Southborough, Westborough, and Natick where she met and married the love of her life Donald V. Oehley on June 7, 1947. They built a house and raised their 5 children at 11 Pike Street in Hopkinton. Affiliated with St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Hopkinton, Bette was a pie maker, sang in the choir and made flower arrangements for the altars from her personal gardens. Bette & Donald were married for 47 years, Donald passed on August 31, 1994. Bette’s later years were spent living in Linwood, MA spending time with her family.
She is survived by three of her children, her son Kendall Oehley and wife Dina of Uxbridge, her daughter Linda Gray and husband Jim Morill of Greenfield, NH and her son Scott and wife Cori Oehley of Upton. She is also survived by 8 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, she is predeceased by her sons Rodney and Jeffrey Oehley and her siblings, an older Brother Clifford (Kippy) Burr, older Sister Blanche Johnson and younger brother, Ernest (Ernie) Burr.
A Eucharistic service will be held on Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at 10:00 A.M. in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 61 Wood St, Hopkinton. Burial of cremains will follow at Rural Cemetery, Southbourgh. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Callanan Cronin Funeral Home.
