Obituary for Myrtle T. Bean
Myrtle T. Bean, well known as “Punky” by family and friends, passed away peacefully at the age of 93 on Saturday, March 11, 2023, after a short stay at Royal Plaza of Cascadia in Lewiston.
Myrtle T. Keller was born to James and Gladys Keller in Culdesac in August 1929. While still young, her family moved to Lewiston where she grew up with eight siblings and attended Lewiston High School. On Sept. 18, 1946, Myrtle and Ardell Bean married in a double ceremony in John Day, Ore., with Ardell’s cousin Oliver McClaren and Helen Miles. Myrtle and Ardell returned to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley where their two daughters and three sons were born and raised.
Myrtle was a stay-at-home mom, often on her own while Ardell traveled for his job. The family frequently spent summers camping out in tents and later with an RV near Ardell’s road building job sites. Often in the North Idaho forest where they spent considerable time hiking to remote creeks and fly fishing for trout. Cooking on a camp stove was something Mom could do very well.
After Ardell’s retirement the couple sold their home and became fulltime “snowbirds,” traveling in their RV to the south for the winters and returning to Lewiston each spring. Myrtle and Ardell enjoyed exploring the southern locations that included New Orleans and Texas as well as trips into Mexico, sometimes accompanied by her sisters Darlene and Charlene and their husbands. Myrtle and Ardell often stayed in Arizona as well as Nevada Casino locations where they both enjoyed testing their luck and where Myrtle excelled at choosing just the right slot machines.
Eventually the couple retired from their RV travels and again settled permanently in Lewiston together until Ardell’s death in 2008. Mom continued to live independently and enjoyed spending her time with family, her love of reading books and watching programs about the history of settling of America, her love of visiting the coast and watching the Seahawks. Mom also enjoyed following different branches of her family and sending out messages to them on Facebook. She managed to use her computer even after turning 93 years old.
Myrtle is survived by her sister Patty Wane and brother Dan Keller. Myrtle was preceded in death by her parents and siblings James Keller, Bonnie Eller, Charlene Bailey, Darlene Turnley, Delroy Keller, Ron Keller and son Ernest Bean.
Mom is survived by her children Linda Schunk, of Vancouver, Wash., Sherrie (Scott) Amon, of Vancouver, Larry (Judy) Bean, of Lewiston, Randy Bean, of Lewiston, nine grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and two stepgreat-grandchildren.
All four of Mom’s children would also like to thank Don and Lana Davis for their love and friendship for their Mom. A special thanks to our brother Randy you are much appreciated.
Mountain View Funeral Home of Lewiston is in charge of arrangements and family will gather at a later time to join Mom with Dad at Morrowtown Cemetery.
Myrtle T. Keller was born to James and Gladys Keller in Culdesac in August 1929. While still young, her family moved to Lewiston where she grew up with eight siblings and attended Lewiston High School. On Sept. 18, 1946, Myrtle and Ardell Bean married in a double ceremony in John Day, Ore., with Ardell’s cousin Oliver McClaren and Helen Miles. Myrtle and Ardell returned to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley where their two daughters and three sons were born and raised.
Myrtle was a stay-at-home mom, often on her own while Ardell traveled for his job. The family frequently spent summers camping out in tents and later with an RV near Ardell’s road building job sites. Often in the North Idaho forest where they spent considerable time hiking to remote creeks and fly fishing for trout. Cooking on a camp stove was something Mom could do very well.
After Ardell’s retirement the couple sold their home and became fulltime “snowbirds,” traveling in their RV to the south for the winters and returning to Lewiston each spring. Myrtle and Ardell enjoyed exploring the southern locations that included New Orleans and Texas as well as trips into Mexico, sometimes accompanied by her sisters Darlene and Charlene and their husbands. Myrtle and Ardell often stayed in Arizona as well as Nevada Casino locations where they both enjoyed testing their luck and where Myrtle excelled at choosing just the right slot machines.
Eventually the couple retired from their RV travels and again settled permanently in Lewiston together until Ardell’s death in 2008. Mom continued to live independently and enjoyed spending her time with family, her love of reading books and watching programs about the history of settling of America, her love of visiting the coast and watching the Seahawks. Mom also enjoyed following different branches of her family and sending out messages to them on Facebook. She managed to use her computer even after turning 93 years old.
Myrtle is survived by her sister Patty Wane and brother Dan Keller. Myrtle was preceded in death by her parents and siblings James Keller, Bonnie Eller, Charlene Bailey, Darlene Turnley, Delroy Keller, Ron Keller and son Ernest Bean.
Mom is survived by her children Linda Schunk, of Vancouver, Wash., Sherrie (Scott) Amon, of Vancouver, Larry (Judy) Bean, of Lewiston, Randy Bean, of Lewiston, nine grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and two stepgreat-grandchildren.
All four of Mom’s children would also like to thank Don and Lana Davis for their love and friendship for their Mom. A special thanks to our brother Randy you are much appreciated.
Mountain View Funeral Home of Lewiston is in charge of arrangements and family will gather at a later time to join Mom with Dad at Morrowtown Cemetery.