Barbara Joy Elway Rottle went to her Savior on Friday, July 3, 2020. She was born to Harry and Alice Elway on May 27, 1925. She was raised in Hoquiam, Washington, and graduated from Hoquiam High School in 1943. In high school, after years of training in ballet, she performed many recitals and functions on the Harbor. She met Robert Rottle at a dance, and it was love at first sight. During World War II, Bob was assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia, where he trained as a paratrooper in the 11th Airborne. Barbara traveled to Georgia and married Bob in the Fort Benning Chapel on October 10, 1943.
When Bob was deployed to the Philippines in 1944, Barbara returned to Hoquiam to live with her parents. Once the war was over, Bob returned to Hoquiam and began his business, Rottle’s Shell Service.
Barbara worked as a bookkeeper at the Pearson Department Store in Aberdeen. She was a freelance writer, writing articles for the Aberdeen Daily World. She also wrote the history of the Elway family. While on the Harbor, she was an active member of Eastern Star and Daughters of the Nile, as well as a mother advisor of Hoquiam’s Rainbow for Girls.
Barbara and Bob moved to Olympia in 1977. Barbara worked for the Soil Conservation Service. When she retired, Barbara became the church secretary for Calvary Chapel. She was active in the church, where she founded and participated in many prayer groups and Bible Studies. She was known as a prayer warrior, and would pray for anyone when asked. When asked for her favorite Bible verse, she responded “the whole thing.”
She loved knitting and reading mysteries and the Bible. She liked watching television shows, including Pastor Charles Stanley, “Perry Mason,” “Murder She Wrote,” “Blue Bloods” and the Game Show Network. Barbara and Bob enjoyed following family members musical concerts, basketball games and football games.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bob; her brothers, Harry, Lem and Jack, and her beloved brother-in-law; George, killed in action in WWII. She is survived by her daughters, Marilyn Rottle of Olympia, Jacki-joan (Mike) Shannon of Spokane; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Charles and Mary Wilmot of Monterey, California, as well as numerous nieces and nephews in the Puget Sound area, southern California and Denver.
The last year and a half, Barbara was lovingly cared for by the caregivers at the Adult Ohana Home in Olympia. In lieu of flowers, please give love offerings to the Shriners Hospitals for Children or to Hospice of Olympia. Her memorial service will be announced at a later time.
Please share memories at www.FuneralAlternatives.org.
