Betty Delores Stancil, longtime resident of St. Maries, Idaho, died peacefully in sleep Wednesday 28 July 2010 at her "Florida" home in Orlando. She lived with her daughter and son-in-law Leota Lee and Ed Ward since January 2009 - last visiting St. Maries family and friends over the Memorial Day holiday in 2009. Betty Delores Phillips was born in Lyons, Nebraska, 3 October 1925, to Charles and Clara Phillips; attended schools in Nebraska and Idaho graduating from Coeur d'Alene High School in 1944. She married Paul Stancil on 6 December, 1943, and remained in the area with her family until Paul returned from the U.S. Army Air Corps after WWII. In 1952 Betty and Paul purchased the Mullan Trail Service station which they operated until retirement in 1984. Betty is well known by three generations of St. Maries school children with memories of her "penny candy" counter. Paul passed away in 2002 and Betty remained in their home until moving to Florida in 2009. Wife, Mother, loyal Friend, Grandmother and Great Grandmother – Betty was a lifetime member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Fraternal Order of Eagles Ladies Auxiliary. She was a longtime Lumberjack fan as her daughter Leota and husband Ed Ward, son Tom and wife Rhonda Blankenship, grandson Greg and wife Brook Farrell, granddaughter, Stacie Stancil Flowers and now great grandson, Ray Flowers attended St. Maries High School. She remained an enthusiastic sports fan over the years as she watched her five grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren grow and play sports in Idaho, Kentucky, Colorado, Kansas, Virginia, North Carolina, Virginia and Florida. Over the year she and Paul travelled around the continental United States and Hawaii, to Europe and the Middle East - rarely missing important family events and celebrations. In recent years Betty spent considerable time visiting with her grandchildren and their families across the USA. Over the years Betty touched the lives of friends and family but most importantly left us all with a deep and abiding Faith in God and Country; of Hope that tomorrow … with hard work and patience... will always be better; and a lifelong personal example of Charity in thoughts, words and deeds. She will remain a shining example to her family and friends around the world as we cherish her memory and recall her little songs, poems, handpicked berries, canned garden delights, Christmas cookies, candy and her funny jokes for as long as we live. Betty is survived in St. Maries by her son Tom and wife Rhonda Stancil; their son Greg and his wife Brook with children Brett and Ava; their daughter Stacie Stancil Flowers and sons Raymond and Kyle. In Florida, her daughter Leota and husband Ed Ward in Longwood; as well as, granddaughter Lisa and husband Mark Saturno with children Joel and Michael in Oviedo. In Virginia, her granddaughter Teresa and husband LTC USMC Kenneth Burger with children Jacob, David and Shelby in Manassas; and her granddaughter Trisha and husband Richard Solomon and children Tyler, Benjamin and Kayla in Haymarket and sister Bernice Montague of Coeur d'Alene. Extended family members across the USA remember her smile and loving ways. She was preceded in death by brothers Charles, Jr. and Stanley Phillips and sister Mary White. Services are planned for 2 PM Saturday, 7 August, at Hodge Funeral Home, burial at Woodlawn Memorial cemetery and reception for friends and family at the Eagles Hall. In lieu of flowers her family suggests donations in Betty's name to the St. Maries Cross fund.
