At age 92, Betty Folchi, a long-time Portola area resident, passed peacefully June 11, 2024, at the Eastern Plumas Healthcare Center nursing home in Loyalton, where she lived for the past two years. Betty was the first child of Allen Henry “Hank” Wilkinson and Virglie (Long) Wilkinson. She was born in Sacramento Feb. 13, 1932. Hank was a section foreman for the Western Pacific Railroad, so the family often moved to different railroad-provided housing up and down the Feather River Canyon from Altamont to Cromberg. Betty graduated from Quincy High School in 1949 and married Emilio Folchi June 19, 1949, in Quincy, California.
Betty and Emilio ran a cattle ranch on the western side of Sierra Valley near Beckwourth. For many years Betty was very active in the community. She belonged to such organizations as the Sierra Valley Grange, Farm Bureau, Plumas-Sierra School Board, Plumas County Historical Society, Holy Family Church Altar Society and parish secretary, Lynn Welch Realty, and the Eastern Plumas Chamber of Commerce. She was often elected president or chairwoman in recognition of her leadership skills and was named Eastern Plumas Woman of the Year 1998.
Betty had an amazing “green thumb” and loved anything to do with flowers and plants. She surrounded her home in Delleker Park with many types of gorgeous flowering plants. She was especially fond of orchids and African violets. She liked to bake cookies, cakes, and pies and take them to various community events where they were highly sought.
Betty is survived by her two sons Jack Folchi, of Santa Clara, and David Folchi, of Beckwourth; daughter-in-law Lind Gee, of Santa Clara; son-in-law Lynn Harris, of Beckwourth; three grandchildren Sara Folchi, San Jose, Erin Folchi-Olsan, of Sacramento, Mary Folchi , of Oakland; grandson-in-law Brad Olsan, of Sacramento, and two great-grandsons, Luke Olsan and Blake Olsan.
Services for Betty will be conducted by Fr. Innocent Subia, pastor, at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Portola at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 29. Interment will be private at the Vinton Cemetery on a later date. In lieu of flowers, please contribute in Betty’s name to one of the organizations that she devoted many hours of her time: the Holy Family Church, the Eastern Plumas Chamber of Commerce or the Plumas County Historical Society.
