Elaine M Anderson's Obituary
Elaine went to be with the Lord on June 18, 2020, in Tacoma after a long, productive and enjoyable life.
Elaine was born in Churchs Ferry, North Dakota on January 1, 1925, the fourth of five children. The only girl in a family of four boys. Growing up, she was a “tomboy” and had the scars to prove it.
She was a beautiful, bright, and athletic young lady. She received her varsity letter in basketball at her high school in Max, ND, in 1940. Her family then moved to Leeds, ND. She graduated from high school in 1942 at the age of 17 where she was class valedictorian and senior class president. Following graduation, her mother, Christine; younger brother, Donald; several friends; along with a hired driver arrived in Seattle where her father, Thorfin, was working for Boeing. Her mother thought Seattle was heaven!
Elaine took the Civil Service exam and graduated from that program in 1942. She was part of the Western Defense Command and Fourth Army at the Seattle Port of Embarkation until she started as a freshman at the University of Washington in September 1943. She rushed as a sophomore the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority where she was lifelong active member and had just received her 75 year certificate! She majored in Sociology and completed 3 years of her degree. She worked briefly as a model while living in Seattle in the mid-1940s.
On the steps of Suzzallo Library, Elaine met a young man, Donald Evans Anderson, who was in the V12 program while she was selling subscriptions to the Columns UW magazine as part of a fundraiser for her sorority. Donald claimed to not have any money with him and if Elaine would give him his phone number he would bring her money the next day to buy a subscription. She fell for this ploy and the rest is near history. The first date was a dud. Elaine said Donald was boring, quiet, and didn’t talk much. She was ready to call it quits, but she gave him a second chance on a group date, where Donald was engaging, witty and friendly and she stayed with him ever since then.
Elaine has a certificate as a Grinder with over 2400 hours of grinding during the war. She explained she actually didn’t do 2400 hours of metal grinding, but she just did what the ship master told her to do. In those days, near the railroad tracks, co-workers would form strands of metal and put them on the tracks to make bracelets for the “gals.”
Don and Elaine were married August 19, 1945, just a few days following Victory over Japan Day. Not many days later, Don was shipped out to the Philippines and finally returned eight
months later. Letters were written almost daily between the newlyweds! They celebrated 70 years of marriage prior to Don’s passing on Christmas Eve in 2015. Don and Elaine have lived in many locations throughout the Pacific Northwest. They built a 900 foot home in Corvallis. It didn’t take long for them to figure out a pregnant Elaine could get better prices for the lumber than Don could! As soon as their first child, Christine, was born they moved to Eugene, Oregon, where Don worked at the university. Not many years later, they moved to Tacoma where Don worked for Weyerhaeuser. In 1953, Don and Elaine, lost a child, Karen, at birth. Karen is buried at Mountain View where Don and Elaine are buried and they are now able to be together in heaven for all eternity. They then moved to Longview, Washington, where Neil was born and many of Don’s family lived. They also had a house built there! Both Don and Elaine were active in community affairs. They got another urge to move after becoming too busy with all their volunteer work! They then moved back to Tacoma where Arne was born. Don and Elaine built a home that was featured in the News Tribune for its modern design. It was the first house on the hill in a new section of Westgate up from the then new Woodrow Wilson High School. To get the mail, they had to walk to Huson, many blocks away. Here is where she made life-long friendships with the neighbors. Their informal ABCD group of Anderson, Bartons, Carters, and Dukes (Martyns) gathered for bridge, potlucks, lunches out, raising kids, and more. Mom enjoyed her 95th birthday luncheon in January of hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes with Peggy and Virginia. She said it was just wonderful talking with her friends for hours and hours and sharing their good times from so many years of knowing each other.
The young family moved again to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, for an special exchange job with Magnavox for Weyerhaeuser. Snow, fireflies, praying mantis, jewel-colored Indian corn, skating rinks in the back yard, lightning and thunder storms on hot summer days, well water, and Halloween for three days were all new to this young Washington family. Don and Elaine took advantage of being “back East” to visit as many states and sights as possible and experiencing a different kind of America! Elaine, as usual, became active at her church and helped with Vacation Bible School, much to the amazement of the pastor who was not used to new members getting involved so quickly. The next job was with NuTone in North Vernon, IN, home of the original WKRP, for a few short months. While there, Elaine instituted scientific experimentation with breeding fruit flies on rotten bananas, growing crystals, and tick removal. Just a few months later, after the family returned from a train trip to Seattle, Don was was back with Weyerhaeuser. The family took the long way back through Florida and the other southern and southwestern states. The kids got quite an education outside of school experiencing the United States in person instead of books! They finally settled down to “heaven here on earth” at their home on Shirley Street in Tacoma where they lived for 54 years. Even an offer from Weyerhaeuser to move them to Australia, wouldn’t budge Elaine!
Even though Elaine did not finish her college degree she never stopped working, learning, and being active in multiple organizations. Examples of her copper work, pottery, pen and ink drawings, hardanger embroidery, print making, and rosemaling were throughout the house. Some of her many endeavors include: Daughters of Norway, Embla Lodge #2; Sons of Norway, Norden Lodge 2-002; Church Elder, Sunday School teacher, and Altar Guild “Mother Superior”
with Elsie Schwind, and member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church for over 60 years; active in Republican politics; and member of Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society.
Elaine and Don loved to travel the world and explore. They regularly visited North Dakota relatives who still live there. Travelled throughout Europe finding her roots and meeting family members throughout Norway and Sweden. She frequently corresponded with Norwegian genealogy family members and also helped Don find his. They were one of two families chosen to have their genealogy done by Swedish radio to commemorate the 350th anniversary of Swedes in America. One of Elaine’s favorite activities was to spend time at their beach place on Rocky Bay on the Key Peninsula. She loved it when friends and relatives would come to visit and they cooked oysters and salmon on a big grill over the fire pit. Swedish crayfish parties with the members of Vasa was a special event there along with summer picnics with Sons of Norway!
Her parents Thorfin and Christine Thoreson; four siblings, Ray, Vernon, Merlin and Donald; her husband of 70 years, Donald E. Anderson; and one daughter preceded in her in death. She is survived by her children: Christine of University Place, Neil (and Tammy) of Kirkland and Arne (and Jenny) of Greenville, North Carolina, and many loved nieces and nephews. She has four grandchildren: Katie, Bethany, Nicholas and Kristofer. Elaine loved her Lord, her family, her friends and life. She lived it to its fullest and her enthusiasm and passion for actively engaging life and friendship will be missed.
Remembrances can be made in Elaine’s name to the Memorial fund at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, to Norden Lodge 2-002, Sons of Norway Scholarship Fund or to the Daughters of Norway Embla Lodge #2 Scholarship Fund.
We thank the many caregivers from Arcadia, the River Rock adult family home, and Kaiser Hospice. They all helped mom have a more comfortable passing.
To ensure the health and safety of our community, we are following all guidelines set by local, state and CDC officials. Please contact the funeral home with any questions and we encourage friends and families to check back for service updates.
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