Phyllis Elaine (Kepper) Bateman

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Category: Obituaries

Created on Monday, 01 April 2013 08:21

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Graveside services for Phyllis Elaine (Kepper) Bateman will be held noon Saturday, April 6, 2013, in Gales Creek, Ore., at the Gales Creek Cemetery with the minister Bill Marble officiating.  A reception will follow at Gales Creek Community Church of God Fellowship Hall.
A Celebration of Life will be held in Sitka April 20, at the Troutte Center.
Phyllis passed away peacefully on March 20, with her family by her side.   She was 90 years old.
She was born to Christian and Lois Lee Kepper on Oct., 13, 1922, in Mohler, Ore., the oldest of six children.  Phyllis attended school in Chehalis and Morton, Wash.
John and Phyllis were married on Aug. 30, 1940, in Gales Creek.  They moved to Forks, Wash., where daughter Judy was born.  Later, they returned to Gales Creek, and built their home on the Bateman homestead.  It was there  that Jack, Alan, Pam, Penny and Connie were born.
“Mother had a full-time job taking care of her family and was a wonderful homemaker,” her children said.
She enjoyed picking and canning  fruits and vegetables to fill the pantry shelves.  She also loved to go elk hunting with her in-laws and fishing on the Oregon coast. 
In 1964, John and Phyllis moved their family to Rodman Bay, Alaska,  While living in the logging camp, Phyllis enjoyed crabbing, shrimping, clamming and fishing in the great outdoors.  “One of our favorite childhood memories of the logging camp is the time Mom and a friend spent the day on the water fishing in a row boat. Upon returning they had managed to fill the entire boat full of coho.  Dad’s first response was ‘you better hope the Fish and Game don’t catch you,”’ her children said.
In 1968 the family moved to Sitka.  Phyllis was employed as a cook at Dock Shack Café for many years.  She later was employed at the Coffee Cup and eventually settled in as one of the best, well-known cooks at Revard’s Restaurant.
Her husband of 35 years passed away in December 1975.  She continued to work at Revard’s until her retirement in 1987.
Later on in life she met Al Anaka, and for the next 25 years they traveled in their motor home, spending the winters in Yuma, Ariz.
“Mom and Al enjoyed entertaining, having friends over, playing cards and dancing,” said the family.
Al passed away in May 2001.  Phyllis continued traveling throughout the Northwest, to and from Alaska visiting family and friends, again spending winters in Yuma.
In January 2005, Phyllis had a stroke of the spinal cord, but she didn’t let that slow her down.  She continued on her road trips with her daughter Penny and granddaughter Jenny, traveling between Arizona and Oregon, and having great fun.  “If there was a will there was a way for Mom to keep on doing what she liked, then we would make that happen,”  her family stated. 
In April 2008, Phyllis returned to Sitka and lived with her daughter Pam and son-in-law Carl Samuelson, until the time of her death. 
A favorite pastime of hers was making slippers.  “We lost count: probably around 400 pairs would be a good guess,” a daughter said.
She also enjoyed crocheting pot holders and was a whiz at completing the daily crossword puzzle.  A daily routine was getting on her iPad, checking her email, viewing photos of her grandkids and great-grandkids and keeping up with family and friends.  That was also a way for her to keep an eye on her “son” Steve Nash, and the basketball scores.
She also loved pickling and canning sockeye, putting up venison, making jams and jellies and making her famous pickles.
“Mom was an amazing woman.  She had a great sense of humor, full of life, fun and laughter.  She taught us all how to appreciate life within itself,” her children said.  “We miss her so much.” 
This past October, Phyllis celebrated her 90th birthday with a week-long celebration with family and friends.  She truly enjoyed herself and all who came to celebrate.
Phyllis was a member of the Sitka Emblem Club and was to have received her 40-year pin on March 28, 2013.  She was also a lifetime member of the Sitka Sportsman’s Association; and  was the secretary of the Culinary Workers union for many years. 
She is survived by her daughters and son-in-laws:  Judy Gould of Tillamook, Ore., and Pam and Carl Samuelson, Penny and Mike Brown and Connie and David Oen, all of Sitka.
Grandchildren are Jenny (David) Burt, Casey Gould, Clancy Gould, Holly (Jeff) Olsen, Sig Samuelson, Jynal (Eric) Radziukinas, Clay (Cara) Brown, Alaina Brown, Amyee(Justin) Peeler, Darcie (Levi) Eggerton, Michael Todd Bateman, Jody Hawkins and Crystal (Zack) Prida, 
Great-grandchildren are Nichole, Evan, Brittnee, Jake, Justin, Jack, Kaelyn, Brooklyn, Dylan, Gage, Averie, Whitney, Calleigh, Brittney, John, Hunter and Copper.
Great-great-grandchildren are Rylan, Trinittay, Claire, Kohen and Bentley.
Her sisters are Gloria (Ralph) Couryner of Morton, Wash., Mary Ellen Jensen of Chehalis, Wash., and Darlene (Ralph) Timmerman of Gales Creek.  Numerous nieces, nephews and cousins from Washington, Oregon and Idaho also survive.
She is preceded in death by her husband John; her parents Chris Kepper, Art and Lois Johnson; companion Al Anaka; sons Alan R. Bateman and John E. (Jack) Bateman; sister Clara (Joe) Mettler; and brother Daniel Johnson.
“The family would like to thank all the wonderful nurses at Home Health for their excellent care they gave Mom.  We can’t say enough about you” her family said. “Also a big thank you to Glady, Liz and Mary Ann for your care you gave to Mom.  She enjoyed your visits so much.”
Cards for the family can be sent to: Pam Samuelsonk, 101 Peter Simpson Road, Sitka,   AK  99835.

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