MAGEE, Phoebe Laura (Pearl Woman)

Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff, Arizona, Sunday, December 02, 2012 Phoebe Laura Pepion Magee (Pearl Woman), 92, of Browning, died of natural causes Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, at Blackfeet Community Care Hospital. Funeral mass was Monday at the Little Flower Parish and burial was in Willow Creek Cemetery. She was born Feb. 23, 1920 at Birch Creek, the seventh child of Frank and Annie (Stephenson) Pepion. She attended school in Browning and married Merle Magee, Sr. in 1938. They celebrated 60 years together before his passing in 1999. Phoebe worked as a matron at the Blackfeet Boarding Dormitory in her younger years, then as a long-time cook at the Indian Health Service Hospital in Browning. She was a creative cook who could work magic with leftovers and instilled a love of cooking in many of her grandchildren. She was also an accomplished seamstress who could turn a piece of fabric into a stylish outfit, curtains, or anything she could dream up. She loved to dress up at Halloween, hoping to fool the little trick or treaters, but she never could. She was known for her sometimes outrageous but always humorous costumes. Phoebe was known for her kindness, generosity and goodwill, but she also had a great sense of humor and could laugh at herself as well. Her favorite place was the Magee Cattle Ranch on the Two Medicine River. In her later years, she became everybody¹s grandma. She was the historian of the family and knew the birthdays, anniversaries and phone numbers of all her kids and most of her grandkids. She knew most of the families on the Blackfeet Reservation and their family histories. Her wealth of information will be greatly missed as well as her love and support of family. She is survived by daughters Judy Cobell of Browning, Debbie Sherer of Cut Bank, Carol Andrews of California, Diane Sheck of Oregon and Cheryl Magee-Blaisdell of Arizona; sons Merle (Jeep) Magee, Jr., of Cut Bank, Jim of Alaska and Dean of Wyoming; also many grandchildren, great-grand-children, and great-great-grand- children. Phoebe spent many winters in Tuba City and Flagstaff, Arizona. Phoebe is preceded in death by her parents; 10 siblings; her husband, Merle; and an infant daughter. The family wishes any donation be made to a charity of the donor¹s choice. This obituary was prepared by the Advertising Department (928) 556-2279.