Phyllis Jean Bean

RUPERT – Phyllis Jean Bean, 68, of Rupert, Idaho, surrendered after a short, hard-fought battle with liver failure. Phyllis has gone to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She loved the Lord and served Him for her whole life.

She was born April 5, 1947, the seventh child of ten children born to Wilford Earl and Severe Grimmett Bandy. In July of 1949, the family loaded up in a 1930 Model-A Ford and moved to Emmett, Idaho. From there, the family moved around Idaho and then to Arizona. In 1953, they moved back to southern Idaho for good, settling in Burley, Idaho, in 1954, where Phyllis went to school and graduated high school with the class of 1965.

Phyllis met Eddy Bean at the Rupert Free Will Baptist Church and was married there on Nov. 19, 1965. That union produced two children, Laura Michelle Bays (Donald Bays) and Edward Rodney Bean Jr. (Terin Bean). Phyllis has four grandchildren, Donald Wayne Bays II, Denise Lynn Bays, Cherokee Daniel Bays, and Rebekah Bean; and one great-grandson, Channing Brendon Bays - she adored each and every one and enjoyed spoiling them as much as she could.

Phyllis spent her entire life doing what she enjoyed the most, cooking; starting at the Trailer House Café at the age of 16 and continuing with Gene Price at Price’s Café, where she learned much and refined her skills. Mom inspected potatoes for the State of Idaho at the J.R. Simplot Company. However, no matter what job she was holding at the time, she was always cooking and doing catering.

Phyllis started working for the Minidoka County School District as a cook at Lincoln Elementary School in 1983. The following year, she was given the job as manager of West Minico Middle School, where she worked many years before getting the job of school food service supervisor for the last few years of her career. Phyllis was extremely frugal in life, and, that carried over into work too. The district accountant was constantly telling her to spend money, because the reserve was getting too high. She retired in 2014 to be the nanny for her granddaughter, Rebekah, with whom she enjoyed spending all the time she could.

Phyllis shared her love of life and cooking with so many, ministering with her food at Mountain View Christian Center two nights a week, cooking for programs, and also cooking for many camps and retreats at Intermountain Christian Camp.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents; her only brother; and four sisters.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, at the Rupert First Christian Church Praise Chapel, 1110 8th St., with Pastor Terry Bell officiating.

Friends may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from 1 until 1:45 p.m. Thursday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, please make a monetary donation or donation of your time and talents to Intermountain Christian Camp, 108 Christian Camp Rd., Fairfield, ID 83327 - or ICCFAIRFIELD.Com