Phyllis Jane (Buchanan) Bettger

Long time Steamboat Springs resident Phyllis Jane Bettger passed away on January 28, 2024, in Byron, Wyoming at the age of 76. She was the daughter of Norm and Alice Buchanan and was born March 28, 1947, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. She grew up in the Elk River Valley near Clark where her father worked on a ranch. While growing up she worked in the hay field, learned to work with animals and enjoyed riding her horses. She came from a hard-working Catholic family which gave her a strong life foundation. She always had a special place in her heart for the Elk River Valley.

She graduated from Steamboat Springs High School in 1966. She married Kenneth Bettger of Steamboat Springs on November 5th, 1966. They had three children Troy, Susan, and Chester. Phyllis worked at the Steamboat Springs Middle school as a cafeteria food server and also in the City Market Bakery. She enjoyed spending time with family, friends, attending the Holy Name Catholic Church, and enjoyed her bowling league. She loved snowmobiling, ice fishing, vacations in Mexico and Las Vegas. She enjoyed camping and boating at Flaming Gorge and Steamboat Lake.

They moved to Byron, Wyoming to retire around 1998, where she got to enjoy gardening, raising some calves and goats. She loved spending time with her nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Before Phyllis fully retired, she worked at the Rocky Mountain school in Byron and Cowley, Wyoming in food service. When not working she attended the St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lovell, Wyoming and enjoyed music concerts, family get-togethers, picnicking in the Pryor Mountains and the Bighorn Mountains, she was a long time Bronco fan, she enjoyed cooking and taking her afternoon naps.

She is preceded in Death by her brothers Tom Buchanan and Doug Buchanan.

Phyllis is survived by her husband of 57 years Kenneth Dale Bettger and their three children and families: Troy and Shawneen Bettger of Hayden, CO, Susan Bettger and Kurt Waldo of Durango, CO, Chester and Genevieve Bettger of Clark, WY; her siblings and their families: Ellen and Bob Burkett from Denver, CO, Ed and Karen Buchanan from Baggs, WY, Mike and Karen from Pavillion, WY, Julia and Cap Kuney from Grand Junction, CO, and Pat and Frank Peck from Buffalo, WY.

 Her unfailing commitment to God and Church, her high energy and strong work ethic, her story telling, and ability to make everyone laugh is what we will miss the most.

 Visual and Viewing is on February 8th, 2024, at 6 pm at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lovell, Wyoming. Mass Funeral will be held on February 9, 2024, at 10 am at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, graveside burial following at the Byron, Wyoming Cemetery.

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