Herald and News
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Atwai Wainanwit Hoches (Bettles) Schroeder was born on September 2, 1981 to parents Quinten Bettles & Maura Ochoa in Klamath Falls, Oregon. She began her journey to be with her Creator on November 18, 2021 in Fort Klamath, Oregon.
Known affectionately by many as "Nanny," she was raised in Chiloquin, Oregon surrounded by a large family of siblings, cousins, and friends she treated as family. As the only girl in a family of eight brothers, she was always well looked after and protected. In her high school years, she met her future husband and love of her life, Ronnie Schroeder, and the two went on to marry in 1999 before going on to raise a family of five beautiful children together. Her family was her life, and she loved nothing more than making memories with them, whether it be at home, on the powwow trail, the tourney trail, or out on her homelands picking berries, digging roots, camping, hunting or fishing.
Nanny was proud to be an enrolled member of the Klamath Tribes, as well as a descendant of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Nez Perce Tribe, Aleute Tribe, and Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona. From the time she was born, Nanny was immersed in learning and practicing the traditional ways of her people, and over the years became talented in beading, sewing, singing, dancing, crafting, and sharing her culture with her children and larger family. Throughout her lifetime she traveled the northwest competing in competition powwows as a fancy and jingle dress dancer, and singing with her parents and brothers in their family drum group, which went by various names over the years, including Chokecherry Stick, Bear Guts, and Horse Thieves. During this time she gained a large powwow family, gaining additional, siblings, nieces, nephews, and "adopted" children, all whom held a special place in her heart.
After giving birth to her second daughter, Nanny went back to school in 2002 to earn her GED and eventually graduated from Klamath Community College in 2012 with her Associates of Science degree, an accomplishment she was extremely proud of. A huge supporter of higher education, she instilled in her children the value of learning and encouraged her children to follow their dreams and attend college after high school. She was an avid fan of Chiloquin High School sports, and was usually the loudest mom in the gym cheering on her kids and other family members at the top of her lungs. She loved supporting the leadership efforts of local youth, helping out by heading up countless bake sales, raffles, and Indian Taco benefits over the years to help them raise money for trips and activities. She leaves behind a legacy of love and compassion, and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Nanny was preceded in death by her father, Quinten Bettles, sister Nora Bettles, brothers Michael "Spud" Bettles, Mangus Bettles, Ian Bettles, grandparents Joseph & Priscilla Bettles and Richard and Laura Ochoa. She is survived by her mother Maura Ochoa, husband Ronald "Ronnie" Schroeder, son Orville, daughters Laura, Hannah, Scarlett and Adeline, brothers Christopher Arthur, Michael Jim, Joseph Bettles, Donovan Bettles, Cecil Bettles, Joseph Ochoa Jr., and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and "adopted" siblings and children who she shared her home with over the years.
A memorial celebration will be held at 1:00pm on Friday December 3rd, 2021 at the Klamath Tribes Fitness Center Gymnasium in Chiloquin with Crayton Jackson officiating. All who knew Nanny are invited to attend and share their memories with the family. A private dressing will be held on Saturday December 4th followed by a viewing and traditional washut services beginning at the Klamath Tribes Fitness Center Gymnasium at 9:00 am. Burial will be at the Paiute Cemetery in Beatty, Or immediately following the
services, followed by concluding services, give-away, and meal back at the gym after the burial. Services will be conducted by Jefferson Greene of Warm Springs, Oregon. The family encourages loved ones to take care of themselves mentally, spiritually, and physically during this time.
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