Elizabeth Ann Knebel Kahle

Elizabeth Ann Knebel Kahle, a longtime resident of Austin, Texas, and more recently of Boise, Idaho, passed away on September 2, 2026.

Elizabeth, known throughout her life as Betty, was born in Palestine, Texas, on February 28, 1928, to George Moses Knebel of Waco, Texas, and Carolyn Aldres Gladdish Knebel of Mexia, Texas.

When Betty was eighteen months old, her father accepted a position with Standard Oil of Venezuela, and the family, including Betty’s grandmother, moved to the oil camp of Punta de Leiva near Maracaibo, Venezuela. Her brother George Moses Knebel Jr. was born in Maracaibo in 1930.

In 1931, the family moved to Maturín, Venezuela, and later that year made a harrowing, multi‑day journey by boat to Caripito, which at the time was not accessible by road. It was there, in 1935, that Betty first met her future husband, Loren Frederick Kahle, with whom she attended the company’s one‑room schoolhouse.

In July 1939, her father was transferred to New York, and the family eventually settled in Scarsdale. After graduating from Scarsdale High School, Betty attended Northwestern University and later studied at Parsons School of Design in New York City, where her skill in interior design was nurtured.

After graduating from Northwestern, Betty became reacquainted with Loren, and they were married on June 20, 1953, in Scarsdale.

In 1954, Betty and Loren moved to Maracaibo, Venezuela, where Loren, following in his father’s footsteps, worked for Creole Petroleum Corporation. Their three sons were born in Maracaibo.

Following Loren’s transfer to the United States in 1961 and a brief period in Bronxville, the family moved to Indonesia in 1964, a period of political upheaval surrounding the overthrow of President Sukarno. In October 1965, Betty and their three boys were evacuated to the United States, with Loren following eight months later to begin working in Exxon’s New York office. The family settled in Bronxville, where they lived for the next twenty years.

In 1986, Loren and Betty moved to Austin, Texas, to be near family. Active patrons of Austin Opera and the Austin Symphony, they especially supported the Young People’s Concerts. In her later years, Betty generously shared her Metropolitan Opera tickets to foster the love of classical music that she and Loren cultivated during their years in New York.

For twenty-five years, Betty and Loren spent their summers and falls in Sun Valley, Idaho, sharing many happy occasions with their sons and their families. In 2019, Betty and Loren moved full‑time to Boise, where they became supporters of Opera Idaho and enjoyed reconnecting with longtime Sun Valley friends while remaining close to the Idaho scenery and climate they had come to love.

Betty was one of a kind. An avid art collector, she visited museums in Taos, New Mexico, and around the world, where she would engage with the local artists. Athletic from her days swimming and playing golf with her mother in Caripito, she enjoyed working out and was a strong skier into her eighties. Always impeccably dressed, she nonetheless happily went on camping trips across the United States with Loren and their sons. She cheered on her grandchildren as they learned to ski, performed in musical concerts, or pursued higher education and career goals.

Betty was known to leave phone messages in which she sang “Happy Birthday” to her family on their special day, and she never turned down a celebration, especially if it involved champagne. She loved huckleberry ice cream, dark chocolate, and college football; her memory will be indelible.

Betty was predeceased by her parents, her husband Loren, her brother George, and her nephew Craig Knebel.

She is survived by her three sons, Randolph Stuart Kahle, Charles Frederick Kahle (Carrie) and James Allan Kahle (Mary), seven grandchildren (Nissa, Nowell, Emma, Ben, Charles, Heidi, and Kenny), three great‑grandchildren (Harrison, Rowan, and Callum), and her niece Carolyn Knebel Green.

The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Sherry Meyers and her dedicated team of caregivers for the loving kindness and exceptional care they showed Betty.

A memorial service will be held on Nov 1, at 1p.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Sun Valley, Idaho, followed by interment next to Loren Kahle.

Memorial gifts may be made to St. Michael’s Episcopal Cathedral, 518 N. 8th Street, Boise, Idaho 83702.