Betsy Claire Williams McClung

December 14, 1942 – September 10, 2015

Betsy Claire Williams McClung, RN, MN, was born in Bend, Oregon to Dr. Oscar and Helen (Carlson) Williams. Most of her early years were spent in Oregon and near Olympia, Washington. After graduating from Albany High School, she attended Lewis and Clark College for 2 years before completing her undergraduate education at the University of Oregon School of Nursing. In her early nursing career, she coordinated educational activities for clinic nurses at the University Hospital in Portland. She married Ron Love with whom she had her two children, Holly and Andy. She later returned to school and received her master’s degree in nursing from the Oregon Health & Sciences University.

In the mid-1980’s, she and Dr. Michael McClung, founded the Oregon Osteoporosis Center in Portland which became widely recognized as a leading clinical, educational and research center. She and Dr. McClung married in 1993. Betsy made presentations at many national and international meetings and was widely recognized as a strong advocate of the role of nurses in managing patients with osteoporosis. She was a teacher and mentor who inspired many by her intelligence, compassion, sensitivity. Betsy served as president of the Endocrine Nurses Society, and served on the boards of the Paget Foundation and the North American Menopause Society. Tributes are planned at international meetings where her leadership, humanity and her spirit were appreciated.

Betsy reveled in her family. By sharing her optimistic outlook and her enthusiasm for each new day with us, she made us all be better. Her wisdom, her courage, her love and her special way of making us happy will be deeply missed. Betsy lived a full, happy, productive and influential life. She was a star during life, and we know that her light still shines on us even in her absence from us.

Survivors include her husband Michael McClung, daughter Holly Love, son Andy Love, and grandson Oscar Love, all of Portland; step-son Daniel McClung of Ann Arbor, MI; sisters Margaret Hitchcock, Exeter, England and Janey Sherman, Amesbury, MA; and brothers James Williams, Colorado Springs, CO and Doug Williams, Omaha, NE.

A private memorial service will be held. Remembrances can be made in Betsy’s memory to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at https://www.pancan.org/ or American Society for Bone and Mineral Research at www.asbmr.org.