Phoebe Bee, nee Lehwalder, was born in Butte, Montana in 1919, the fifth of ten Lehwalder children. She grew to be a strong, outstanding and outrageous woman. She first came to Orcas Island, to Indralaya, in the 1930s and moved to the island full-time with her husband, Austin Bee, in 1974.

In the many phases of her life, she ran various offices with great efficiency, at one point volunteered with the USO where she danced the hula for soldiers in Hawaii, a talent she maintained into her nineties, and raised three sons. She always wore red lipstick! On Orcas, Phoebe volunteered at the library, and was, for many years, the regular librarian for the Theosophical library at Indralaya. Her second home on this island was Camp Indralaya, where she wore many hats over the years, including chief organizer of programs in Therapeutic Touch. She also led a healing circle in her home, meeting weekly, for many years.

Although many people of every age claimed Phoebe as their own, she is survived by her sons Leif and Kim Erickson, her step-daughters Helen and Carol Bee, daughters-in-law Donna and Karen, 10 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Phoebe was preceded in death by her mother, father, ex-husband Jack Erickson, husband Austin Bee and son Dana Erickson. She loved flowers, so it is especially fitting that she died on the first day of spring, at home, surrounded by loving family and friends. Special thanks to Barb and Molly, and all the others who helped care for her in her last weeks.