Elizabeth L. "Betty" Bird-Bircher, 82, of Colfax, WA died Feb. 18, 2017 at Whitman Hospital and Medical Center in Colfax. The Rosary/Vigil service will be held on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017 at 7:00 PM at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Colfax. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017 at 10:30 AM at St. Patrick's. Interment will immediately follow the memorial service, and will be at the Colfax cemetery, followed by a luncheon celebrating Betty's life, which will be held at the Colfax Fairground Community Building.
Born Elizabeth Lee Pietrowski on Sept. 29, 1934 in Pendleton, OR to Francis "Pete" & Mary Elizabeth (Plucker) Pietrowski, she was immediately dubbed "Betty" by her father – a nickname that would stick with her for her entire life. She was proud of her Indian heritage (on her mother's side), and she was also proud to be the great granddaughter of William McBean and the great niece of Samuel Clemens (also known as Mark Twain). Betty spent her early years on a small farm, and when she was 11 her family moved to Walla Walla, WA, where they purchased a ranch and Betty spent the remainder of her childhood. In high school, she and her sister, Mary Jane, boarded at St. Patrick's (now De Sales). Betty viewed her time there at the convent with the Sisters of Providence as a wonderful experience that cultivated a respect for her upbringing and deepened her faith.
Upon graduation in 1952, Betty applied for a work permit and was hired by the Pacific N. H. Bell Telephone Company. During this time she met and fell in love with Clifford Bird; they were married in 1954 and moved to Clarkston, WA. Seven children were born of this marriage; 5 daughters and 2 sons. Betty became a full-time homemaker until 1968, when she became the first woman ever hired by the Colfax Post Office. She worked the 2:30 am to 1:30 pm shift, and first her job was to unload the mail trucks and sort the mail for 3 state routes and the greater Colfax area. She eventually became a postal clerk and stayed with the post office until her retirement – 24 years in total. Betty loved working at the post office, even though she said that the building was too cold in winter and the mailbags were far over regulation weight, especially when a new Sears Roebuck catalog came out.
Her husband, Clifford, passed away in October of 1975. Betty continued making Colfax home, and in 1983 she married Dale Bircher, who also preceded her in death. She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who cherished all her time spent with family. She collected crystal bird items since they went hand-in-hand with her last name, and she was an artist that created professional-level calligraphy pieces. For years Betty was called upon to create hand-written certificates for all of the awards given out at Colfax schools – she was honored to have the opportunity to create unique, loving works of art for the students. Betty was also a House Mother in a sorority at WSU.
Betty always enjoyed the opportunity to teach her children and grandchildren baking and cooking, and no visit to her house would be complete without time spent playing the custom-designed marble game that has been a part of her family traditions for decades. She would spend hours teaching the littlest of grandchildren to count using the game, and entered into spirited, laughter-filled games with the older kids and adults alike. Just as Betty was devoted to her family, she was also devoted to her faith, as a longstanding member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church.
She is survived by her four daughters; Susie Hennigar (Jerry) of Colfax, Elizabeth Bird (Gary) of Edmonds, WA, Jody Carter (and Melvin) of LaCrosse, and Valarie Mitchell (Cary) of Spokane; one sister; Theresa Loosveldt; 16 grandchildren, and 22 great grandchildren. In addition to her husbands Clifford Bird and Dale Bircher, Betty was preceded in death by a daughter Stephanie, two sons, Cip and Christopher Bird, and a grandson Grant Bird O'Neill. Bruning Funeral Home of Colfax, WA has been entrusted with arrangements. Memorial donations are welcome, and the family will allocate those funds to charities Betty loved and supported.