Lois Mae Phipps Schachle

Aug. 22, 1917-April 26, 2017

Lois Mae Phipps Schachle, 99, died April 26, 2017, at South Peninsula Hospital in Homer.

Lois was preceded in death by her late husbands, Stephen Schachle, Jack O. Phipps and Roy H. Bowers; father and mother, Robert John Miller and Ruth Louise Miller; brothers, Floyd and Clarence (Bud) Miller; and daughter-in-law, Twyla Colleen Bowers.

Lois is survived by her son, Gerald (Jerry) Bowers, and her daughter, Ruth (Penny) Gibbs; grandchildren, Ike A. Gibbs, Jennifer Risse, Heather Carlson, Michael Bowers and Whitney Boese; great grandchildren, Tia Williamson-Black, Jake Gibbs, Brittany Templeton, John Carlson, and Mavric and Kylee Boese; as well as both step children and great-great grandchildren.

Lois was born Aug. 22, 1917. She moved from Oregon in 1958 with her husband, Jack O. Phipps, and settled in a “chicken coop” in Fairbanks. She was an administrative assistant for the Cooperative Extension Service at the University of Alaska Fairbanks from 1959 to 1965. From 1965 to 1971, she and her husband Jack were owner/operators of two lodges, McClaren and Tangle Lakes Lodge, both on the Denali Highway outside of Paxson. They went on to lease the Northway Airport Lodge in Northway for two years. While in Northway, Lois was appointed Postmaster and was the Immigration Officer for all aircraft entering Alaska at that port of the country. From 1972 to 1973, Lois was office manager and part time business manager for the St. Joseph’s Hospital until they moved into the new facility.

From 1975 to 1980, Lois was an employment security specialist for the Department of Labor in Fairbanks. Lois and Jack were actively involved in mining, hunting, fishing and the dog mushing community until Jack’s passing in 1975.

In 1980, Lois and Stephen Schachle were married and moved to Anchor Point, where they built their log cabin off the North Fork Road. They were active in the Anchor Point Chamber of Commerce and were once named Citizens of the Year by their community. They actively participated in the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup, creating Ma Walli State Park providing handicap fishing access, and in local parades. In 2005, Stephen passed away, and Lois, unable to live in the remote cabin herself, moved into Friendship Terrace Assisted Living Center in Homer. She enjoyed living there and loved visiting her friends daily.

Lois loved her home in Anchor Point and especially all her friends who joined every morning at the local “coffee table.” She was very active in Alaska politics and always took the time to reach out to her legislators to help guide them in what she felt was the best path for Alaska. She even ran and won a seat on the Board of Directors at Friendship Terrace so she could help represent the wants and needs of the residents. Dedication and commitment to others was one of her greatest attributes.

A vibrant and independent woman to the end, Lois led her entire life “her way,” leaving behind all those she touched who are so happy she passed “their way.”