Patricia "Trish" Ann Bateman Wade, 82, of Idaho Falls, passed away Saturday, September 11, 2021, at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

She was born August 26, 1939, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to Roland Frederick Bateman and Pearl Irene Becker. She grew up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, India Head, Maryland, and Venice, California.

She married Billy Don Wade in Long Beach County, Los Angeles, California, on March 19, 1955.

She was a member of the Methodist Church.

She was the most beautiful soul, so loving and kind to all. She loved so unconditionally, never judgmental to anyone. You always felt valued in her company.

She is survived by the following:
spouse, Bill Wade of Idaho Falls, Idaho
daughter, Cindy (Steve) Aitchison of Lakewood, Washington
daughter, Cheryl (Chuck) Osterhout of Idaho Falls, Idaho
daughter, Caren (Louis) Batides of Colorado Springs, Colorado
daughter, Cassy (Jeff) Harding of Nampa, Idaho
sister, Betty Aungst of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
15 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild

She is preceded in death by her parents, Roland and Pearl Bateman; brothers: Ron, Wesley, Melvyn, Danny and Donald Bateman; and grandson, Tory Miller.

A visitation will be held from 1-3 pm, Friday, September 17, 2021, at the home of Cheryl and Chuck Osterhout, 1845 Midway, Ammon. A sunset service will be held from 7-9 pm, Friday, September 17, 2021, at Russ Freeman Park, 1290 Science Center Dr., Idaho Falls, with Paul Verhoever officiating.

EULOGY

Today, I have the special honor of telling the life story of Patricia Ann Wade—or as I like to call her grandma. Most everyone else called her Trish.

Growing up I remember thinking that my grandma was not like other grandmas. She was different, she had red hair and long painted nails and a distinct way of calling everyone "honey." There was something about her—it was this presence —almost like she was made of magic or star dust. And this magic wasn't just inside of her it came out of her, everything she touched transformed into something beautiful.

I always joked that if I could ever write a New York Times bestseller about any one person in my life, it would be her, hands down. I think I thought this because, to me her life was extraordinary—and fascinating—and colorful— and it was full to the brim with love—and not just any kind of love—but the kind of love you can only find in fairy tales.

Everything about her was interesting, and if you ever had the privilege to speak with her it always left you wanting to hear more. I honestly think she is the only person in this world I could have a conversation with about Bigfoot, or aliens, or fairies and still manage to sprinkle Jesus into it.

There is so much to her story, and she touched so many lives with her soul— I hope that by telling her story I can honor her and all of you who so kindly shared your memories with me.

So, before I get too far ahead of myself, I suppose the best place to start would be at the beginning.

The day my grandmother was born was August 26, 1939, in North Hampton County Pennsylvania. Her mother was Pearl Irene Becker and her father Roland Frederick Bateman. She was the fourth of seven children, and her siblings were named Betty, Ron, Wes, Melvyn, and twin brothers Donald and Danny.

On February 29, 1940 (still under one year old) Grandma was entered into a coronation pageant called the PRIZE BABY SHOW in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. She won—and she was awarded the title for being 100% perfect in the infant class.

While growing up, her grandma's mother worked in a candy factory making Peeps easter chicks and her father served in the U.S. Army and was a taxicab driver. Grandma spent her days attending Keizer Elementary school and making memories walking to the United Methodist Church Sunday school with her brother Wesley.

Grandma was very close with Wesley, they had a special bond. The two were always together.

Grandma's sister Aunt Betty said when Grandma was 6 or 7 years old, the family lived in Indian Head, Maryland. At this time because her father was in the military, they lived in what Aunt Betty (grandma's sister) called the Military projects.

Grandma and Wesley spent their days exploring the woods behind the family home. One day they went beyond the woods and stumbled upon a field of daffodils. The two decided to pick a bouquet of flowers for their mother. Little did they know that the caretaker of the field was watching. Soon a knock came at the door and the caretaker explained that he grew the flowers for a florist in Washington. The situation ended with their dad having to pay for the daffodils—Aunt Betty jokes that it was one way to get Grandpa Roland to buy flowers for Grandma Pearl.

Grandma and Wesley seemed to always be up to something. It was around these same years that Wesley would often lift silver from a local dentist. He would then take the silver and counterfeit stamp his own dimes so he and grandma could attend the local theater. I only wish I could have been a fly on the wall watching these two together.

Somewhere around 1951-1952, Grandma's family moved to Venice, California and owned a laundry service. Little did Grandma know that she was about to meet a very important person.

At the age of 15 a tall dark and handsome kind of trouble walked into Grandma's life. His name was Billy Don Wade (better known as grandpa to us now), he was enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Their paths crossed while hanging out on the Santa Monica Pier in California. Grandma hung out with a friend that Bill didn't really care for—and Bill often hung out with his friend Jackie Dale. No one was really dating at this time, they all just liked to ride the roller coasters and the merry-go-round.  Seems Grandpa Bill had other ideas.

It wasn't long before Grandpa Bill began to express his interest in Grandma. Grandma had been working at a local theater and the theater was showing a musical titled Brigadoon. Grandpa wasn't particularly fond of musicals but said he watched that show about 1,000 times just so he could see her. He finally got the nerve to ask her out and the two began dating.

Wasn't long after they began dating, Grandpa asked Grandma to marry him, and of course she said YES! Grandpa Bill realized that he would also need to ask her father for her hand in marriage as he did.  Her father gave his blessing and said yes.  They tied the knot on March 19, 1955, in Long Beach California. The ceremony was small and attended by family with a reception held in their honor at Grandma Miller's (Grandpa's grandmother).

They had a short honeymoon at Knox Berry Farm. Grandpa Bill remembers that they took a stagecoach ride. This was the beginning of a love for the ages, over time the story played out like it was stolen from a book. Which is fitting because it comes with a plot twist.

When I asked Grandma how her and Grandpa met, she told me that a few years after her and Grandpa married, they were sharing stories about their lives with each other. They discovered that when they first met it wasn't really on the Santa Monica Pier. It had happened two years earlier on Lake Irving when Grandma was 13 years old.

Grandma was out in a boat with her brother Wesley's wife, Gloria. The two ladies got into a bit of a pickle and lost their oars. With no way to shore they began shouting for help. Grandpa, who had been working on the lake for the summer with his uncles, noticed the two damsels in distress. He swam out to offer his assistance and pulled the boat to shore. Grandma always found it amazing that their paths crossed before they ever knew each other.

After their marriage and honeymoon, Grandma and Grandpa lived with Grandma's parents Pearl and Roland. Grandpa Bill was still in the Navy, was still in the military and was only able to come home for the weekends.  It was around this time they welcomed their first daughter Cynthia Gail in November 1955 —Shortly after the birth, Grandpa shipped out to Guam.

While Grandpa was overseas Grandma would don her purple suede hot pants, fringed vest, and knee-high boots to go perform Nancy Sinatra songs at a local pub. As a young, vivacious, and beautiful woman Grandma Pearl had to send "the brothers" along to supervise. Grandma was the bee's knees, and all the men were chasing her.

When Grandpa got out of the military the fairly-newlyweds moved to a farmhouse in the foothills of Idaho Falls, Idaho.  In 1957 they welcomed their second daughter, Cheryl Ann.

Grandpa took different jobs in town before settling on being a janitor out at the INEL. Grandma stayed home taking care of the girls. Young and in love, the couple stayed in Idaho Falls where they welcomed their third daughter Caren Lorraine, in 1959 and their fourth daughter Cassandra Donn in 1963.

My Aunt Cheryl shared a story with me of when they girls were in elementary school.  She told me how a neighbor behind them grew large amounts of rhubarb to sell to local restaurants for pies.  One day while bored and looking for something to keep them busy, Cheryl and Cindy decided to send the younger sister Caren who was about 6 or 7, to ask they neighbor if they could pick some of the rhubarb.  Caren disappeared for a few minutes and came back and reported "Oh yes, he said we can take all we want."  The problem was that Caren hadn't actually even talked to the neighbor.

Later that evening a knock came on the door and the neighbor told Grandma someone had reported  seeing her girls picking his rhubarb.  Grandma was just appalled.  She fiercely defended her girls to the bitter end until she found all four girls in the trailer with the rhubarb broke up and floating in a bucket of water.  Grandma made them apologize to the neighbor and made the girls clean the neighbor's yard for a month.

In 1965 the family of six moved to Pacific Palisades California. Where Grandma and Grandpa took a job working for a telephone company. The also lived in Manhattan, California in a house with a pool, where the girls learned to swim by Grandpa's "swim or sink" method.

Grandma often spoke fondly about this time she spent in California as a telephone operator. If she wasn't transferring calls for very famous celebrities, she was being mistaken for them. The story goes that when Grandma was strolling down Hollywood Boulevard, she was approached by a lady asking for her autograph. The lady mistook Grandma for Lana Turner, Grandma really got a kick out of that.

Around 1967 they moved back to Idaho Falls, living just a few doors down from Grandma Pearl. A few years later in 1969 the family settled in at 594 Falls Drive.  They were able to buy a trailer and made a lot of wonderful memories camping at the "Devil's Bedstead."  They spent their time camping, dump digging, bottle hunting, panning for gold, rock hunting, searching ghost towns, riding motor bikes, and fishing. Guitars would be played, and Grandma would sing to the music. I was once told by a family friend that Grandma has the most beautiful voice of anyone, they had ever heard sing.

Grandma was a little bit hippy, a little bit gypsy, and a little bit perfect example of a 1960 housewife. She often styled the house in the latest trends; her girls remember the walls were painted with big red poppies and beads were hung separating the kitchen from the living room.  All the girls' friends were envious because they had they cool mom.  the "cool parents."  poppy and had beads hanging.

By 5:30 p.m. every day, lipstick was on, house was immaculate, and dinner was on the table when Grandpa walked in the door from working all day, even if that mean wearing the curlers to the store beforehand.

Grandma either sewed the girls' school clothes or crocheted them.  She made dresses, sweaters, ponchos.  Aunt Cheryl remembers once finding a beautiful sweater in a window that she wanted so bad.  It was over $100 and Grandma said "No problem, I can make that."  Sure enough she figured it out without a pattern and duplicated that sweater to a tee.  They never really had much money, but whatever money they did have, Grandma spent every penny on the girls making sure they looked their best going to school and she never spent a penny on herself.

Grandma always wanted to be busy.  She dabbled in breeding poodles and grooming until she ended up with a stud poodle who was very jealous of Grandpa, and Grandpa said "Corky" had to go.

Cindy and Boyd married at this time and moved in with Grandma and Grandpa.

In 1974 the family moved to Vancouver, Washington for one year. Grandpa worked in a canning plant and would bring home oyster shells (Grandma would use those oyster shells to turn them into wildflower arrangements). Her daughters remember gathering driftwood for this project and then going door to door selling the arrangements to make ends meet.

In 1975-1976 the family moved back to Idaho and Grandpa went back to work at the site. Once again Grandma Pearl moved just a few doors down. Cheryl and Chuck married at this time in 1976.

In 1977 Grandma Trish and Grandma Pearl had a yarn shop called Grandma's Yarn N Such just off of 1 ^st street. Grandma taught knitting, crochet, and macramé.

Her daughters shared a fun story about Grandma sitting there knitting with her legs cross. The family would be watching the variety show and when Tom Jones came on the screen, she would look right at the girls and say, "Oohhh he makes my toes curl." They told this story in front of Grandpa and Grandpa replied "Now I make her toes curl."

Around this time the last of her daughters Caren and Cassy married. Grandma began to pour herself into her art. She entered flower shows and won awards for her arrangements and began traveling around doing art shows. She visited places like Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sedona, Arizona, Montana, Idaho, and various State fairs. She was passionate about art and tried to go to any show that time or money could allowed.

In 1980 Grandma and Grandpa renewed their wedding vows on their 25 ^th wedding anniversary. Their bond of love only grew stronger as the years went by, and it was very evident to the people around them.

In 1985 Grandma and Grandpa, along with Cindy and her family, moved to Hawaii in the town of Kihei on Maui Island where they opened Poor Billy's Sandwich shop.

Grandma's German Chocolate Cheesecake won an award for the best cheesecake in all of Hawaii. Her granddaughter Maranda remembers the special way Grandma would use her thumb to measure the cream cheese.

Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed the island life and became certified to scuba dive. Grandma really loved to feed frozen peas to the fish and the turtles.

In 1988 the whole family moved back stateside to Bandon, Oregon, opening another Poor Billy's sandwich shop.

They were like gypsies, never wanting to be in one place very long.  They moved from Oregon back to Idaho Falls for a bit and then on to Arizona.  Cindy, Jim and the kids moved with them, just like they always did. Grandpa would joke and say, "We just couldn't shake them."

Over the next ten years Grandma and Grandpa moved into Camp Hosting. They bought a motor home and enjoyed traveling around bottle hunting and rock hunting. Grandma really loved crystals and rocks and Grandpa had to haul thousands of them everywhere.

In their time as Camp Hosts they experienced many different places and people to Fairplay, Colorado, Long Beach, Washington and Bull Head City, Arizona and Dessert Hot Springs, California.

They later moved to Des Moines, Washington to help their Grandson Jeremey raise his daughter, Ellie who lived in Snohomish, Washington.   Grandma spoke very fondly of her relationship with Jeremy and really enjoyed this season of her life.

Years later Grandma and Grandpa moved to Nampa, Idaho to spend time with their daughter Cassy and her family. Grandma enjoyed this time making crafts with Cassy and taking trips to see her sister Betty.

Aunt Betty said every time Grandma came to visit, they would hit the Bingo and if either of them won they would split it. Grandma would always tell Grandpa, "Betty wants to go the casino."

Grandma was very strategic in trying not to ever hurt anyone's feelings.  If she was over at your house and wanted to go home, she would say "Honey, I really need to get dad home, I think he's getting tired."  😊

In 2013 Grandma and Grandpa made their way back to Idaho Falls and purchased their home on Valley Drive. It is in this home that Grandma was able to live out the rest of her days with the love of her life. She also enjoyed this time being close to her daughter Cheryl, son-in-law Chuck and grandchildren.  Grandma and Aunt Cheryl loved to hit the garage sales and most of the time they got in trouble for bringing home so much "stuff."  Grandma loved finding treasures.

There is so much more to my Grandma then just the facts and dates of a life well lived. There was the way she made everyone feel valued and loved unconditionally no matter what. Or the way she loved little things in her life like rings, casinos, bingo, elephants, butterflies, pyramids, UFO's, and rocks and crystals.

Yes, all these stories and memories—and things about her are precious, but the thing that was most important to her was each of us. We are her life's work and her greatest triumph and what a legacy that is. This is a family forged in—and bonded together—by unconditional love. I think everyone will agree that grandma was the beating heart of the family—the glue that bound us together, and the foundation on which we all stand. She was the light on the path that we have followed so far. Her light—her impossibly bright spirit—kept us all safe in its embrace and has shined brightly enough that it will comfort us the rest of the way. How lucky we are to have had her with us: That beautiful woman made of magic and stardust. How very, very lucky indeed.

Love ya's Gran