ALICE LORRAINE POTTRATZ

Alice Lorraine Bartlett Pottratz       

Passed away peacefully in her sleep August 23, 2022, Garfield, WA.  The last few months of her life, Alice was blessed to be cared for by the wonderful, caring staff at La Dow Court Assisted Living in Garfield, WA.

Alice was born November 12, 1922 in Latah, WA to Ferd and Nina May (Pearl) Reeves Bartlett into a loving family and lived near Latah on their farming homestead. She would tell us tales of living close to a Native American community. They would bring apples to her family and in return her Mom would send them baked goods. Alice graduated from Latah High School in 1940. Alice married Ronald E. Pottratz Nov 23rd 1940 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. As the story goes, Alice & Ron eloped when she was 18 years old. Rather than tell anyone, Alice went back to her parents’ hotel where the family lived. After properly notifying their families they moved into the big white house on the corner of Hwy 27(now known as the Little Red Barn) which rented rooms upstairs. They eventually moved to a small house in Latah where they started a family and later moved to the “home place” as Mom called it where they continued their life and where she lived until the last few months of her life.

Alice loved life. She cherished her family and friends and loved to entertain them in her beautifully appointed home with her nicest china and silver.  Alice was quite a fashionista in her time looking beautiful and dressed to the tees when she would go out. Years ago, if Alice took her daughter to Tekoa shopping, she always made sure her daughter had on her little white anklets, black patent shoes and white gloves.  After Ron and Susan left home Alice went to work at the Crescent department store in downtown Spokane. While working in the “better dress department” she was able to continue her love of fashion and help her customers to be the best they could be.

Alice loved music and had a beautiful voice, singing in the choir at church and any place else when she felt a song coming on!!  After she left her job in Spokane, Alice continued with her love for music and people as she became the Activity Director at  then Fairfield Good Samaritan center. She brought lots of love, smiles and laughter to the residents.

Alice’s hobbies were golf, music and gardening among others.  She especially loved her yard and taught her daughter how to pull weeds, mow the grass and nurse the little plants to become full-grown beautiful flowers. Through her gardening Alice developed quite an artistic eye for flower arranging. When you would visit her home most likely you would see a beautiful flower arrangement in the center of her dining room table.

Alice especially loved the following excerpt ‘I’d like the tears of those who grieve to dry before the sun.’  Alice has gone to heaven to sing in the angel choir.

She was preceded in death by our loving father, Ronald E. Pottratz d.2002, father Ferd Bartlett, mother Nina May (Pearl) Reeves Bartlett, brothers; Roy, Charles (Bud), and Tom Bartlett; and sisters, Thelma and Georgia Bartlett.

Alice is survived by her three children, Ron Pottratz (Kathy), Susan Wambaugh (Terry), Thomas Pottratz and her dear sister, Delores Clausen.

Grandchildren: John Wambaugh, Michele Pottratz, Michael Pottratz, Jacob Pottratz and six great-grandchildren: Austin Wambaugh, Brooke Wambaugh, Lanie Terry, Grace, Samantha and Emmett Pottratz

and numerous nieces and nephews.

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