Doris Fay Stephens of Twisp, WA, age 72, passed away peacefully on December 28, 2009, at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee. Doris was born April 9, 1937, in Chelan, WA, to Charles and Evelyn (Best) Schmidt. She attended school in Chelan, until Ira "Bob" Stephens swept her off her feet and they were married on August 13, 1953. Together they moved to the Methow Valley, where they made their home permanently in Twisp and raised four children. As a child, Doris learned to live, laugh, love and dream on the shores of Lake Chelan. Her summers were spent swimming and playing on the shores with her sister, brother and neighborhood kids. Doris worked for many years packing apples in Brewster, Pateros and Methow. She then transitioned into the Food Service Industry. As a waitress, cook and manager, she had the opportunity to serve local patrons at the Winthrop Palace, Virginian Restaurant, Rosie's Branding Iron and Roadhouse Diner. Throughout her life, she had many hobbies. Never losing her love for the water, she enjoyed beach combing at the ocean, swimming in the lakes and rafting the Methow River. She joined the Twisp Women's Bowling League and traveled the state, competing in tournaments and collecting trophies! She belonged to the Eagles Women's Auxiliary and spent years volunteering her cooking services. She loved to crochet, sold her blankets on the internet and generously, with love, created a custom blanket for every member of her family, to keep as a treasure! Doris was an avid fan of Mariner baseball and Seahawk football. She loved to dance. In the 70's and 80's, she was the #1 supporter and fan of her husband's Country & Western band, Cascade Country Boys, and would dance and sing during their performances. Doris was a servant at heart. What she enjoyed most, was cooking for her family and playing card games like Shanghai, where she would compete for quarters and break everyone's bank! She was the Shanghai Queen!

Doris was preceded in death by her father, Charles Schmidt, Jr.; mother, Evelyn Elder; stepfather, John Elder; and grandfather, Charles Schmidt, Sr. Survivors include her husband of 56 years, Ira "Bob" Stephens of Twisp; children, Bobby Stephens and wife, Sharon of Chelan, Maleta Duncan and husband, Denver of Twisp, Ramona Lambert and husband, Kent of Bellingham and Jerry Stephens of Kennewick; siblings, Louise Baker (Lamond) of Manson, Donald Schmidt (Cheri) of Central Point, OR and Christine Doran (Dan) of Twisp; grandchildren, Nathan Yoakum, Cami Yoakum, Andrew Andersen, Robby Andersen and Kennedy Stephens; six great-grandchildren; and seven nieces and nephews.

We were so blessed to have had such a loving mother, grandmother, sister, friend and devoted wife, whose memory and spirit lives on within us.

Memorial Service is planned for Saturday, January 23, 2010, at 3:00 p.m. at the Twisp Calvary Baptist Church, 1119 East Methow Valley Highway in Twisp. A Celebration of Life Reception will follow at the Eagles Lodge in Twisp.