Alyce Phyrne Dubisar

A celebration of life for Alyce Phyrne Dubisar, 81, of North Bend, will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 13, at the Cornerstone Church, 886 S. 4th St. in Coos Bay. A reception with the family will follow at the church.

Alyce was born July 20, 1937 in Slope County, N.D., on the family farm in Dorve Township, to William and Irva Hanson. She went home to be with the Lord Oct. 4, 2018, with her family by her side.

Alyce was the ninth child in the family of twelve. Growing up in such a large family and living on a farm, everyone had to take part in the everyday chores. This is where Alyce found her love of cooking. As young as nine years old she was cooking for the Threshing crews who arrived for wheat harvest. When Alyce wasn’t cooking for the family and caring for her disabled mother and younger siblings, she went to Brown Country School where she received her elementary education. By the time Alyce was 15, she would leave home, the one room country school and move 25 miles to New England to attend High School. Alyce rented a room in a local boarding house and took a part time job cooking to support herself during this time. While being a waitress and cook at a local café, her future husband, John walked into her life. After a short courtship, the couple were married Jan. 10, 1956.

Over the next three years, the family grew by two with the birth of Patti and Tammy. In January of 1959, Alyce, John and the girls loaded up the car and moved to Oregon for employment opportunities. By July of 1960 the family was complete with the birth of their third daughter, Shelly.

Raising the three girls was a full-time job. Alyce enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom. However, she managed to do the bookkeeping for her husband’s growing backhoe business. It was at this time she decided to go back to school and enrolled at SWOCC where she received her GED, an accomplishment she was proud of. Alyce also worked for the family auction company and wore many different hats for the auction business. She helped move inventory, clerked, cashiered and even sold coffee and donuts.

Growing up with modest beginnings, Alyce wanted more for her girls than she ever had herself and made sure they never went without. She also wasn’t afraid to take the girls on adventures while their dad worked. They took a train trip and multiple driving trips to North Dakota. They went camping, swimming and rock climbing. Animals were also important to the girls. Once Alyce went to Langlois, purchased a sheep and brought it home in the car. She would haul livestock to the fair, and even loaded up a horse and delivered it to school for show-n-tell.

Alyce was civic minded from the time she was a young mother and wanted to be part of the community. She was a member of the PTA, a room mother and a Sunday school teacher at the Faith Lutheran Church. Over the years she continued with her commitment and was President of the American Legion Auxiliary and belonged to the 8/40 group. Alyce also volunteered at Bay Area Hospital, the Veterans Hospital in Roseburg and Hospice.

Alyce’s biggest achievement was her involvement with Bay Area Senior Center. She was a long-standing member, worked the front desk, was on the Board of Directors, past president, head of nutrition, sought money for repairs and even cooked when needed.

Alyce had two passions in life, learning to fly and cooking. But cooking was her true love. Alyce always dreamed of opening her own restaurant, “A Funny Place to Eat” and although that dream never became a reality she was successful catering weddings, anniversaries, special events and cooked a many a hamburgers at a many a horse shows. Alyce’s greatest cooking accomplishment was having her recipe, LEMON SHEET CAKE published in the Taste of Home magazine.

Alyce and John were married for 56 years. Alyce loved family, and hers grew over the years. She was blessed with three daughters, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren all of whom she loved and cherished. Alyce was the happiest when she was surrounded by family, whether it be by the “finches” or her church family. She was a charter member of the Cornerstone Church in Coos Bay. Her faith was important and looked forward to attending church.

Alyce is survived by daughters, Patti Schmidt and husband, Bob, Tammy Dubisar and companion of 34 years, Mike McHugill, and Shelly Dubisar and husband, Mark Shaull; grandchildren, Lucy and Spenser Schmidt, and John and Lisa Browning; great-grandchildren, Brayden, Elora and Chase; brothers, Bill Hanson, and Roger Hanson; sister, Elena Ferguson; and many nieces and nephews.

Alyce was preceded in death by her husband, John; parents, William and Irva; brothers, Virgil, Palmer, Ankar, Charles, and Raymond; and sisters, Mariam, Jean and Peggy.

Arrangements are under the care of Coos Bay Chapel, 541-267-3131.

Friends and family are encouraged to sign the online guestbook at www.coosbayareafunerals.com and www.theworldlink.com.

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