Bebe Ann Scott, age 90, a longtime resident of the Wishkah Valley, passed from this life to her eternal life on Feb. 5, 2021, at Grays Harbor Community Hospital. Bebe was born on Jan. 25, 1931, in Aberdeen to John (Jack) Lawrence and Emma Lovetta (Beebe) Conway. She was the fourth of eight children and raised in the Wishkah Valley on the large dairy farm.
She graduated from Wishkah High School in 1949 and attended Grays Harbor College. Her growing-up years were filled with hard work and lots of fun times on the farm. She would talk of all the kids sleeping in one room upstairs and what a great thing it was when they didn’t have to go out to the outhouse and got indoor facilities. Even though she was raised on a dairy farm she did not like milk, cheese or butter. She would say that she loved being out with her brothers on the farm rather than being inside. She worked hard right along with them doing the chores and putting in hay.
On Nov. 5, 1949, she married her childhood sweetheart, Donald Irwin Scott. The couple made their first home in the Wishkah Valley and a few years later, moved to Aberdeen. Bebe and Don were very active in various churches around the Harbor as Don was a lay pastor and Bebe was the Sunday School director and teacher. As a teen, Bebe had worked as a roller skate car hop at Jack’s Drive in and later held multiple library and retail positions in Aberdeen including Brennan’s Central Drug and Kluh’s Jewelry. She and Don moved back to the Valley and operated Scott’s Grocery on the East Hoquiam Road in 1971 after the passing of Don’s mother, Maude Scott. They owned and ran the store until retiring in 1994.
Bebe was devoted wife, a wonderful homemaker, and an involved mom by supporting Sheryl, Fred and Rebecca as they were growing up. She was an active volunteer in the PTA, Brownies, and Girl Scouts as well as other activities. She also loved to cheer on her grandkids and great-grandkids as they participated in sporting events. She was often found watching NBA and NFL games, especially the Lakers and Seahawks.
Bebe was a great cook and baker. Their home was often filled with guests and friends after church on Sundays where Bebe would make an amazing dinner and dessert to share. She loved to bake. Her specialties were apple pie, fruit cake, banana bread and brownies. At Channel Point, where she had been living for the past five years, she would fill the building with the smell of brownies and banana bread and then would share it with the residents. Bebe came from a musical family and music was something she enjoyed. She played the piano, guitar and autoharp. Singing special music with Don at church was common and family gatherings were always filled with music. Her family and faith were the most important things in her life.
Bebe’s love for being outdoors never waned. She really enjoyed gardening and yard work. She always had beautiful and immaculate yards. She maintained them herself into her 80s. Even at Channel Point she was often out in the courtyard weeding and planting flowers. Some other favorite activities in younger years were deep sea and river fishing and clam digging. Bebe and Don also enjoyed traveling to Hawaii, the Caribbean Islands and Prince Edward Island where she had family. In the summer of 1964, she and Don drove the family, including Don’s mother, from Aberdeen to Boston to visit Bebe’s relatives making lifelong memories for the family.
Bebe was a very social person. She spoke to everyone. She loved being with people. Her gift of being a hostess was always present. You could not go to their home without having coffee and some homemade treat. Even recently she would want to make sure she had sweets in her apartment so when someone stopped by, she could have something to share with their coffee. She was blessed to have many friends and some for many years. She loved to write letter and cards to keep in contact with people. Her Christmas card list was over a hundred for many years. She had a kind and giving heart. When at the store, she gave graduation gifts every year to the students as well as baby and wedding gifts to many of those in the Valley. Her bright light and kind heart will be truly missed by many.
Surviving relatives include daughters and their spouses, Sheryl (Thomas) St. Marie of Beaverton, Oregon and Rebecca (Allen) Larsen of Brady; a son and his wife, Fred and Geri Scott of Aberdeen; two brothers, Lorn Conway and Jim Conway and a sister Patricia Rose; all of the Wishkah Valley. The extended family includes six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her loving husband Don, and siblings, Mary Pellervo, Bob Conway, Floyd Conway and Ron Conway.
A visitation will be held at the Coleman Mortuary today and Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A private interment service will be held at St. John’s Cemetery in the Wishkah Valley.
A public celebration of life will be held at a later time when all can gather safely. A future notice on this celebration will appear in The Daily World.
Please take a few moments to record your thoughts for the family by signing the on-line register at www.colemanmortuary.net.
