Scott and Angie Bleeker know life is to be enjoyed

By LUELLA DOW

Contributor

Meet Scott and Angie Bleeker. If you don't know how to smile and laugh you'd better learn right quick. Scott and Angie know the bright side of life and use it often.

Scott Bleeker was 3 years old when his family lived at Deer Park. Scott said, "I loved Deer Park. We had a hobby farm. When my folks moved to Deep Creek Canyon I went to Medical Lake School. We had 20 cows and three horses on a 60-acre farm." Scott was in Future Farmers of America (FFA) during high school. He said, "I really liked the animals. I liked to show them in FFA. I wrestled too."

Angie was a "Cheney girl" as Scott put it. She was a model in high school and college and captain of the drill team. She received a college degree in fashion design. Now a stay-at-home-mom, she has abundantly used her talent as a seamstress. Besides making clothes for others, Angie has delighted little children, including nieces, with beautiful gowns for their dolls. Scott affectionately calls Angie "Betty Crocker" and "The Model Bride." She loves to bake and of course he enjoys the benefits.

When Scott and Angie graduated from college they moved to Cottonwood, Idaho. There, Scott found a job he enjoyed, working at a bank that helped farmers with loans.

The couple moved again to Kansas City, Mo., and had a bit of culture shock. Scott said, "People in the inner city, where we were, couldn't believe we were real. We couldn't believe they were real. We saw little children walking down the street alone while their mothers would be sleeping off the drugs. We saw a woman open her door and take a little girl into her home to get her off the street." Gunfights were frequent, violence common. Surrounded by mayhem, Scott and Angie were on a crusade. They had been to seminary and spent four years of ministry in that city.

On the road again Scott and Angie "planted" a church in Calgary, Alberta. There wasn't any person to take the office of pastor while the Bleekers were there so Scott performed that duty. A Canadian assumed the office when the Bleekers said goodbye and came back to the states. They landed at St. Maries, Idaho. There, Scott worked as an unpaid staffer at this church and worked for a bank as well. On to Spokane the couple went. Scott and Angie are very much a part of the mission of Real Life Ministries. They are the parent church that sponsors new churches in the West Plains.

The Bleekers have four children. Chelsie, at 16, took advantage of the Running Start program at EWU. An excellent student, she will graduate from high school this spring and start her junior year of college in the fall.

Angie has home schooled her family. Scott said, "Once in a while I help out." The younger kids are Seth, Lydia and Levi. At one time Lydia was exploring being a writer. We shall see what happens.

Would you like to talk about Christmas? The Bleeker Christmas tree is still showing its beauty. Angie enjoys making it spectacular in their new home south of Cheney.

The Bleekers are working toward establishing their own hobby farm. They have started a small orchard. When the barn goes up and the fence is built, Scott says the kids will be allowed to name the cows they will have, but not the other animals. He says it's too heartbreaking to name your pet and then hustle it off to the butcher.

Scott has worked in the loan department of Washington Trust Bank for quite some time. He said, "I loan money to businesses. It's the best bank in Spokane." Probably his outgoing friendly manner helps with that. Some days he has a whirlwind schedule. Bank, church, home, on and on it goes. Nothing will deter Scott and Angie from the love of their appointed tasks. Let's all wave as they go by.

Luella Dow is a Cheney-area author. She can be reached at lotsaplots1@aol.com.