Bobbette Mcintyre Obituary (1919

Bobbette McIntyre died peacefully at age 95 in Gig Harbor, Washington on January 20, 2015 surrounded by her loving family. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Wayne McIntyre and three sisters, Fern, Annabell, and Norma.She is survived by her sister, Monda, children Karen Heggem, Julie McIntyre, Bill McIntyre (and wife Mary), grandchildren Sara, Camron, Amy, Marnie, Adam, Anne, Michael, Eric, and Charlie; great grandchildren Ryan, Matthew, Jake, Brandon, Kacy, Mechealle, Kiara, Tess, Ella, Michael, Jon, Ethan, Collin, Hannah, Ian, Micah, Sawyer, Hazel, and one on the way; and great, great grandchildren Zayden, Justice, Riley, and Ashley. Bobbie was a talented seamstress, knitter, and crafter. She was an avid gardener and at age 85 won an award from the Botanical Society for best perennial garden. She nourished her family through her abundant vegetable garden and was an expert at canning and preserving food. Bobbie was loved by and will be missed by many. A Celebration of Bobbie's life will be held Saturday, January 31 at 2pm at the Burien Elks Lodge,14006 1st Ave South, Burien, Washington, 98166. Remembrances to March of Dimes or your favorite charity. Following is a short history in Bobbette's own words. I was born in Seattle, Washington on May 24, 1919 to parents Washington and Nina Keeler. My father, Washington, was a plumber by trade and an artist at heart. He was a domineering, yet loving father who I worked hard to please. My father's art was very important to him and was evident in our home. His white, scalloped picket fence and his garden lily pool was the pride of our neighborhood. He painted a fresco on the ceiling of our living room of three angels who represented me and my two sisters (at the time), an oil painting of me and my grandmother, and he built us a merry-go-round and a charming two-story playhouse--big enough for a double bed--for me and my sisters complete with stairs to the second floor which led to a slide, a kitchen sink, a small iron stove, and cupboards painted with the words "A place for everything, and everything in its place" on them. My mother, Nina, was a somewhat timid woman who busied herself with the duties of a housewife and mother. She was a frugal woman who never let anything go to waste; the bloomers she sewed for us were made of flour sacking and I do remember that they were somewhat rough. I remember each Sunday my mother prepared a rump roast and always cut off a small piece of it so that my sisters and I could cook it in the playhouse stove. My mother taught me the life skills that I used throughout my life including housekeeping, sewing, knitting, preserving, and cooking. I had four sisters, Fern, Annabell, Norma, and Monda--all who I remained close with throughout my life. I attended Sunnydale Grade School in Burien. Although I was just an average student, going to school was a special time and I very much enjoyed it. Since there was no TV or radio, school was my primary source of fun. I then attended Highline High School where eventually graduated from in 1938. High school was a fun and happy time for me and I participated in many activities including Pep Club, Girl Reserves, Make-up Club, athletic clubs, and Subdeb Club (where girls gathered to talk about young women's issues and busied themselves wrapping bandages for the Red Cross, knitting sweaters, and helping with the USO). I joined as many clubs as I could that did not cost money or require equipment because it was in the height of the Great Depression and our family, like most, was struggling. My family managed better than most because my father's plumbing business stayed active and he took odd jobs to support the family during this time. We came close to going on "relief" but never actually did. Growing our own food in our garden helped us to make it through these tough times. My first job was as a waitress in 1938 where I was paid 12 cents per hour. It seemed like so much money to me at the time. I also worked for two years as a keypunch operator at Boeing during the war. I met Wayne McIntyre in high school and we were married on July 3, 1941 when I was 22 years old. We were married for 62 wonderful years and shared many happy times together. Wayne and I purchased an acre of property in Burien where we built our first home. We ultimately built another house on the same property where we raised our children, and a third where we moved after retirement. Together, we also purchased a piece of property on Mason Lake where we built a cabin and where many generations of McIntyre's have gathered and connected over the years. In my final 20 years with Wayne, we traveled to Arizona each winter where we enjoyed the sunny climate and our time together. My life has been a full and happy one. I am especially appreciative of my family and friends who have made my life so very special.