Doris Seago's Obituary
Doris Allyene Patton Seago, of Tacoma, died peacefully in her sleep Sept. 6. God granted her 93 years of purposeful and fruitful life, each day a certainty of God's blessing.
Doris had two great vocations in life. One was serving the Lord as a Southern Baptist pastor's wife, embracing or at least accepting the countless tasks the role required. This work began in Texas but eventually took her to Washington State with her husband, Andrew David Seago (Andy).
Doris was born in 1925 to a large family in the tiny East Texas town of Alba. She did well in school and earned a one-year scholarship to Baylor University. With no money to go further, she transferred to East Texas Baptist College in Marshall to earn a degree in pre-nursing. It was there she met her future husband.
The young couple set their sights on becoming Baptist missionaries to China. When Andy failed a medical exam, they did the next best thing; they answered God's call to the "pioneer" state of Washington, one of the most "unchurched" states in the nation. The churches they served in Western Washington included pastorates in Parkland/Tacoma, Longview, Auburn, and several small congregations in isolated communities.
Doris' other great vocation was her family. Not long before she died, Doris was asked what she wanted to be remembered for. "I loved my family," she said. Doris was the rock of the family, steady and resourceful, helping Andy provide for five children on a small-church pastor's meager salary. She mended clothes, cultivated her garden and, given a live chicken, she could efficiently wring its neck and chop off the head. The pleasures of her blackberry cobbler and strawberry-rhubarb cake are indelible family memories. So are her love of Texas dominoes and her infectious belly laugh. To help provide for the needs and wants of her growing family, Doris obtained a state teaching credential and taught middle and high school English, first in Lewis County, then the rest of her career in Fife, where she taught at Fife High School and Surprise Lake Middle School.
Doris is survived by sons David and Billy(partner Jennifer Estes), of Tacoma, and Howie(Lori), of Seattle; and daughters Dawn Foreman (Jon), of Olympia, and Suzanne Benfield (Garry), of Kennewick; and sister, Vera Dale Connelly, of Elm Mott, TX; and seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Married for over 60 years, husband, Andy passed away in 2008.
A public viewing, hosted by the family, will be held September 22, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. at Mountain View Funeral Home, 4100 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, in Lakewood. A memorial service will follow at 2:00 p.m. at McKenzie Road Baptist Church, 215 McKenzie Rd. SW, Olympia. Please sign the online guestbook at www.mountainviewtacoma.com. As Doris, forever our Yellow Rose of Texas, would say, “Y’all come.”
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