Phyllis Jean Mckenzie

Phyllis Jean (Gossett) McKenzie, age 85, of La Grande, passed away on Friday, February 25, 2005 at the Grande Ronde Hospital. A celebration of life will begin at the American Legion on Tuesday, March 1, 2005 at 2:00 p.m.

Phyllis was born in Red Bluff, California on August 12, 1919 to Ross Hargrave and Mildred Ruth (Swain) Gossett. She graduated from high school in 1937 in Crescent City, California. She attended the Western School of Business in Sacramento from 1937 to 1938. She then went to work for the State Forest Service in California. Phyllis' father was the first State Forest Ranger in the state of California.

In 1950 she and her husband, John A. Hunt, moved to Elgin where she kept books for Boise Cascade. She also worked as a checker at Safeway and as a waitress and bartender at several local businesses. She had three children born in California and one daughter born in La Grande.

She loved laughing and socializing with her many friends, playing cribbage, fly fishing on the Wallowa River, cooking, crocheting aphgans, wearing shorts in the summer, potlucks, playing pinochle and bunco, reading and family gatherings. She attended the Sonrise Free Methodist Church.

Phyllis is survived by her four children and their spouses, Corky and Karen Hunt of La Grande, Tom and Pat Hunt of Ketchikan, Alaska, Sue and Bob Thomas of Elgin and Milean Mulnix of Bremerton, Washington. Phyllis is also survived by six grandchildren and a former husband, Norm McKenzie of La Grande. She was preceded in death by her mother, father, two former husbands and one granddaughter, Traci Roulet of Elgin.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the American Legion in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 7th Street, La Grande, Oregon 97850.