Betsy Jayne Murdock Prinster

Betsy Jayne Murdock Prinster, 79, amazing wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, passed peacefully from this life into the loving arms of her Savior on Friday, September 18. She was born February 19, 1947, in Driggs, Idaho, to Clarence Murdock and Sara McAlister.

One of the stories we all loved her to tell was that after she was born, the doctor and nurses were tidying up and then the doctor exclaimed, “I think there’s another baby in there!” He was right, and her twin, Bob, was born about 45 minutes after she was. They were the youngest siblings.

Mom loved to tell us her stories of growing up in her small town in Idaho, including working on nearby farms during potato harvest, learning that she never wanted to smoke after she and some friends coughed their lungs out after deciding to play “cigarettes” by lighting hollow weeds on fire and “smoking” them like the Hollywood starlets, going to such a small high school that she could play on any sports team that she wanted to (especially softball), being a Future Farmers of America (FFA) Sweetheart (before girls could be FFA members) and Autumn Harvest Queen, and baking a special cream pie (which was actually a cowpie) for a boy who wouldn’t stop bothering her.

Music was a huge part of her life, because her dad was the band instructor in their small town, and she played the saxophone in the band. She also played any other instrument her dad needed her to, including sometimes carrying the bass drum in the marching band, which was quite a feat for a short girl. She loved her time in the band with her friends and family, and especially loved summer band camp where her dad somehow managed to squeeze seemingly unlimited candy, soda pop, and ice cream out of what must have been a tiny school budget. She was so proud of her dad, “Prof Murdock”, and his positive impact on generations of kids who were made better by passing through the band program.

Betsy graduated from Teton High School (never having missed a day of school from elementary school through high school) and attended Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho, and then Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. It was at BYU where she met the love of her life, Tim. Dad talks about seeing Mom for the first time in the Amateur Radio Club at BYU and knowing that he had to get to know this beautiful girl. They fell in love, and Tim asked her to marry him using Morse code (to which she luckily responded Y-E-S and not S-O-S). They were married in 1970 in the Idaho Falls Temple.

Betsy graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and taught first grade during her first year, having to hide the fact that she was pregnant with her first son, Mike, since teachers weren’t allowed to be pregnant at the time. She often joked that Mike liked first grade so much because he had already been through it once. 

Betsy and Tim moved to a cute little house in Bountiful, Utah, where they welcomed Steve and Kris to the family. They later moved to West Bountiful, Utah, in 1976, and then to Centerville, Utah, in 1986. They always felt blessed by great friends and neighbors everywhere they lived.

Betsy was a lifelong cheerleader and devoted mother to her six children: Mike (Shelly) Prinster, Steve (Debbie) Prinster, Kris Prinster, Kari (Jesse) Collins, Joey Prinster, and Shaun (Jen) Prinster. Her unwavering loyalty and support to her children was a constant source of comfort and safety, and though she was a gentle and soft-spoken woman, she was like a firestorm incarnate if there was ever a time where she needed to stick up for her kids. She always told us that she overcame her fear of difficult conversations like that because her mother sent her to the local butcher as a young girl to pick up meat, and if her mother had any concerns at all with the way it was cut, she sent Mom right back over there to tell the butcher about what needed to be fixed.

Her love for her children was only ever eclipsed by her love for her 16 grandchildren (Ali, Connor, Christopher, Jeremy, Noah, Keaton, Carlie, Emma, Jackson, Aubrey, Ethan, Drew, Emmy, Sara, Henry, and Tommy) and four great-grandchildren (Layla, Logan, Ezra, and Beckett). Nothing brought a smile to her face faster than a visit or call from them.

Mom worked for many years for JCPenney, starting in the catalog department and eventually retiring from the HR department, where she made lifelong friends that she loved. She worked hard throughout her life, whether inside or outside the home, and was always the one taking your plate at a family gathering so you could spend a little more time talking to a sibling or grandkid.

She was always finding opportunities for her kids to make money when they were growing up, and she and the kids delivered seemingly millions of phone books over many summers all around Davis and Salt Lake counties. Mom loved to find great deals (especially on clothes for the kids and grandkids), and would tell you when you tried to pay her back that any given article of clothing was found on sale “for 17 cents”.

Mom served quietly in many Church callings throughout her life, working with the Relief Society, young women, Cub Scouts, and Primary children and playing the piano. She loved family history and thrilled her kids with stories of her pioneer and Native American ancestors. She and Tim served a Spanish-language service mission in Salt Lake County in her later years, which was a testament to her dedication since she spoke no Spanish. Her relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus was woven throughout her life, and her most common advice during hard times was “this, too, shall pass” and “have you prayed about it”.

Mom had a stroke in January 2026 that started her battle with dementia. In her final months, Betsy received compassionate care from Dr. Ziyi Wang, The Beaumont Memory Care, and Symbii Home Health & Hospice, whose dedicated staff treated her with dignity and much kindness.

She dearly loved her brothers and sisters: Clixie (Don) Hooper, Lee Ann (Dave) Sorenson, Mac (Deanna) Murdock, Ralph (Varlene) Murdock, and Bob (Diana) Murdock. She kept connections with them throughout her life, which brought her great joy.

She was preceded in death by both of her parents; Lee Ann; Clixie; a sister-in-law, Linda Murdock; a brother-in-law, Donald Hooper; and a grand-daughter, Ali Banfield. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Tim, and the rest of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Viewings will be held on Thursday, September 24th, from 6:00-8:00 PM, at Russon Mortuary, located at 295 N Main Street, in Bountiful, Utah, and again before the funeral on Friday morning from 8:45-9:45 AM at the same location. 

The funeral service will be held at the same location on Friday, September 25th, at 10:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, Betsy would have wanted you to take your family to dinner or donate to your favorite charity.