Carla Pheasant

On Monday, December 25th, Carla Jo Pheasant at the age of 57, went to be with her Lord and Savior. She was blessed to have her family beside her in her final days. Carla Jo Cabe was born to Lois Yvonne and John William Cabe in North Bend, WA playing in the woods with her one younger sister, Betty Jean. She started her life in North Bend until her family later moved to Ephrata in the 3rd grade when her dad took a job with the Grant County PUD. She graduated from Ephrata High School where she was an artist and played volley ball and tennis in high school. The tennis team is where she met her life-long love, Jeff. She attended Eastern Washington University where Carla and Jeff had many adventures together and went to many dances. Carla graduated with a degree in education in 1989. After dating all through college, Carla married Jeff Pheasant in 1989 to begin their more than 34 years together. She followed Jeff to Michigan where Jeff had his first programming job for EDS General Motors. Having only a Washington teaching certificate, Carla came back to Washington State to do her student teaching in Ephrata and some substituting in Mukilteo. Jeff eventually was able to get a programming job in Mill Creek so they could be together again. Her first child Thomas Edward was then born shortly thereafter. Soon after, they moved back to Ephrata where Jeff joined a start up computer company and Carla got her 1st job teaching Kindergarten in Soap Lake Elementary. Here she taught multiple grades for 11 years. Three years later, Jeff went back to work with the family orchards where Carla and Jeff formed their company, Pheasant Orchards in 1998. She was blessed with her 2nd boy Riley William and then came a beautiful daughter Megan Lee. During those early years with young children and teaching, Carla amazingly took classes to get her Master’s degree in Special Education. In 2002, Carla went to teach mostly 2nd grade at Grant Elementary in Ephrata for 13 years. She had a remarkable talent for working with students with learning disabilities. She ended her teaching career spending her last four years teaching 6th grade at Parkway in Ephrata. The family sold the farm in 2020 so she then could retire. For those 28 years of teaching, she was truly passionate and loved each one of her students and cared not only for their success in the classroom, but in their personal lives. The next spring, she would start her journey with breast cancer. Carla’s most important gift was to provide a wonderful loving home and family life with her three kids and husband. She loved being a nurturing wife and mother. Her family was her priority and supported each one in their endeavors. She was a proud sports mom. She also loved decorating and hosting for holidays, birthday, and family gatherings. She was known for her displays for each occasion celebrating her family’s birthdays and anniversaries. She loved being around family and being an aunt to all her nephews and nieces. Carla loved to lift weights and go on walks. You would regularly find her in the gym or heading up Beasley hill. She also enjoyed traveling, visiting many states and countries. Her last vacation this summer, she got to travel around Italy riding a scooter in the hills of Tuscany and rowing a gondola in Venice. She could not get enough of her happy place by the pool or looking for shells on the beach. She also enjoyed her church family where she found loving friends and mentors. Carla’s love of gift giving and family celebrations makes it fitting that she passed on her favorite holiday where she went to join her Lord and Savior on Christmas morning the celebration of his birth. In her final weeks, when asked what she wanted to make sure she got a chance to say to her loved ones, she said “I want them to love God.” She was proceeded in death her father, John William Cabe, father-in-law and mother-in-law Tom and Dolores Pheasant and brother-in-law Richard Grubb. She is survived by her Mother Von Cabe, her sister Betty Cabe (Shawn Byrnes), husband Jeff Pheasant and 3 children Thomas, Riley, and Megan Pheasant. She is also survived by her Aunt Mary Ann and Uncle Gary Duvall, Brother and Sister in-laws Darryl Pheasant, Darla Grubb, Jenni Bunkelman, and Louis Bunkelman. She loved being an aunt and making many memories with her 18 nieces and nephews –Madison Homer, Chandler Homer, Callahan Homer, Berkley Homer, Justin (Liz) Grubb, Chris (Caitlyn) Wash, Jared (Emilie) Grubb, Jared (Kelsey) Wash, Nathan (Emili) Wash, Walker Maddalozzo, Conner Maddalozzo, Allison Pheasant, Sarah Pheasant. She also found great joy in being a part of her great-nieces and nephews’ lives- Audrey Grubb (d.), Aubrey Nearing, Zoie Grubb, Kolby Nearing, Richard Grubb, Brynlee Wash, Everly Wash, Brooklyn Wash, Jaxson Wash, and Hadley Wash. Please express your thoughts and memories for the family at www.nicolesfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the care of Nicoles funeral home of Ephrata, Washington. Services will be held Saturday, January 6th, 2024 at 11:00 am at the Community Church of Ephrata at 54 K street SE. There will be a light lunch provided after the worship service. Shortly after the lunch, family and friends are invited to continue celebrating Carla’s life at Jeff and Carla’s home at 19474 Rd B NW, Soap Lake, WA

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Carla Pheasant

November 7, 1966 - December 25, 2023