Marjorie "Beth" O'Brien

Feb 25, 1930 -

Feb 29, 2020

Marjorie "Beth" (Bennetts) O'Brien, age 90, entered Heaven's Gates on Feb. 29, 2020. Surviving children are Walter James O'Brien and Vicki Irene O'Brien. She was preceded in death by her oldest daughter, Jeanne Ann O'Brien; and her first husband, Robert John O'Brien.

She is survived by her second husband, Rolland Eggert; and four stepdaughters: Lorie Klein, Ronata Eggert, Shelley Eggert and Maurie Long. Beth has numerous grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and, yes, even great-great-grandchildren who were her heart's joy.

Born in Challis, Idaho, in 1930, Beth's folks were ranchers. The youngest of three children, she shared her bedroom with her older sister and recalled that in the winter, the snow blew through cracks and sifted down on their hair and faces. They did not have indoor plumbing or electricity until 1952. Her happiest days and memories were living on the ranch.

There's no denying that her family were the people that she loved the most, although cats come in a close second. Beth always had a cat! She slept with her first cat, holding her tail up to tickle her nose while sucking her thumb. Beth will be buried with a little black stuffed kitty her husband Rolland gave her hours before she passed.

Beth's number one, most important lesson in life is to always tell the truth. This was taught by her father, who would not tolerate a lie. Her favorite scent was a yellow wild rose bush in her grandmothers' yard. Beth loved butter and would sneak down where the butter was churned scooping her fingers into the fresh butter.

Her Dad gave her a silver dollar to stop her from sucking her thumb. She became very sick and gave it back to him so she could suck her thumb. When Beth married her childhood sweetheart Robert O'Brien, her Dad gave it back for good luck; it was still on her when she passed.

Beth always knew how to sew; she made her first quilt in 1950. She hand-stitched many quilts, giving them to people she loved. She also loved horses, spending days on the ranch riding when she was a girl. After she married and her family moved to Alaska, she traded in her horse for a snowmobile. Beth loved nature, boating, picking wild berries, fishing, hiking and even hunting in Alaska.

Some of Beth's warmest memories were, later in life, traveling with her second husband Rolland. Besides traveling around Alaska, they spent many vacations in exotic foreign countries. One of her favorites was a trip to Victoria Falls Africa.

Some things about Beth you may not know:

When she was a little girl her nickname was Corky. She cheated at pinochle! Beth won first prize for her "Miss Piggy" Halloween costume. She shot and killed a black bear in Alaska. Beth took her fishing seriously, discouraging pesky sea lions with friendly rifle fire. She encouraged a girl friend to break tradition and "call the boy first"; they have been married 32 years. She had a pet skunk named "Polecat," and a cat named "Lizard Lips." She gave many of her grandkid's nicknames. One grandson was "Tear-Tracks." When he got married, she wrote a poem to him and his new bride she called "Little White Dove." While teaching her grandson how to parallel park, she instructed, "You go forward just until you tap the car in front, then you back up just until you tap the car behind you." Grandma Beth had a goldfish pond in her back yard and looked the other way when little pudgy fingers tried catching one.

Beth knew no boundaries regarding traditional family ties. Stepchildren adopted children and many friends' children called her Mom, Grandma and Gram. She loved them all and they loved her. We are going to miss her, love her and remember her forever.

To share memories of Beth, please sign the online guestbook at https://www.evanschapel.com.