Eunice Doolittle's Obituary
The family of Eunice Johannah Doolittle is sad to announce her passing on July 8th, 2024 in Dupont, Washington. She was at peace and surrounded by love. She was 99 years old.
Eunice was born February 3, 1925 to William and Erna Schwartz. She had 2 sisters , Ruth and Naomi and 2 brothers, Luther and Paul. When she was three the family moved to Idaho where her father was pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lewiston. Her mother played the organ and kept an eye on her children in the front pew. Eunice loved to tell stories about her happy childhood and the family she loved so much. That church began with two families and grew to be a congregation of hundreds.
After retiring William moved his family to Puyallup in 1934. He told the family he was moving them to “God’s country”, but 9 year old Eunice spent her time picking berries in the fields and wasn’t so sure of that. This was when she began to shine as an athlete! In the 6th grade she pitched baseball for Stewart Grade School, and said “I pitched underhand and we won the championship that year!”
Her family moved to Everett during her 7th through 11th grades, where Eunice played volleyball for the winning team. She said she was called a “tomboy” but she didn’t care, she loved to play.
Eunice moved back to Puyallup for her senior year. She loved acting and singing and was in many plays at school. She was proud to graduate from Puyallup High School with honors and a “personality award” in 1943.
The war effort was on and she did her part taking a job in the Tacoma shipyards as a spot welder. She loved the job and the challenge of making straight lines of welds. But after one too many slag burns she decided to instead drive a forklift at McCord Air Force Base .
In 1944 Mom started training as a nurse at Tacoma General Hospital. Her brother Luther was in the Navy (and was at the battle of Iwo Jima!) and Eunice asked him to “find me a tall sailor!” He did, and introduced her to his friend Dewey Doolittle from Davis City, Iowa. Eunice and Dewey corresponded for a year before they met (and Eunice kept every letter!). Finally, they arranged to meet at North Island, San Diego, where Dewey was stationed. It was love at first sight.
Dewey wrote to Pastor Schwartz asking for her hand in marriage. Eunice’s dad wrote a letter back to consent and in 1945 they were married by her father at Hope Lutheran Church in Tacoma. They rented a room in San Diego as their first home. They were very cramped but very happy.
After the war ended and Dewey had finished his four years in the Navy, they started their family in Tacoma. Michael was born in 1946, Donna in 1948, Davy in 1955 and Joanna in 1960. Eunice always said, “I love children and I wanted a dozen!”
Eunice and Dewey were very active in their church. They bowled in the church bowling league, and led the Luther League Youth group for many years. They were volunteers and honorary docents for the Lutheran Church in Elbe, Washington. They volunteered for the Red Cross at the Tillicum Senior Center, where mom completed 30 years of service. She had many friend’s there and they played bingo, ate lunch and shared the day. Two days a week she was with her dear friends there.
Poetry was a very important outlet for Eunice. During the war she even wrote letters and poems for the soldiers to send to their sweethearts! Throughout her life she wrote (and saved) hundreds of poems and gave them to support grieving friends, or to celebrate a couple’s anniversary, or to cheer a grandson when his team lost a big game, or to thank a church organist. Her poems cheered, entertained and comforted others . Many of her poems were written to say thank you. But this sweet heart that charmed everyone could be teasing too! She’s remembered for “Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?” and “I’d like to help you out, which way did you come in?” She was a thespian and at 90 years old did a very good impression of a little old lady , with a slower walk and deeper lean into her walker she used an exaggerated old lady voice, “By cracky, I’m going to sit right down here and tell you a story.” She was a star.
The love of her life, Dewey passed away in 2003 in their 58th year of marriage. She was also preceded in death by her sons Michael and Davy. She inspired so many as she continued to be joyful and grateful for the years she had with her family, her church and many friends. Each morning she would say, what her father had said at the start of each of his sermons, “This is the day that the Lord has made! Rejoice and be glad in it!”
Eunice is survived by her daughters, Donna Waddington (Matthew), and Joanna Borgen. Her adoring grandchildren Abraham Beeson (Julia Cummings) of Seattle, Emily Oakman of Scotland, Cody Borgen (Deshae Scipio) of University Place, Gabrael Borgen (Kimberly Borgen) of Dupont, and Paul Doolittle (Tony Cornell) of Medical Lake.
She will be remembered by nieces and nephews, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren and great, great, great nieces, all too many to list. She loved them all dearly and she wrote to them and called them often. She was delighted to see each one and they will remember her fondly.
A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered. We will enjoy a service at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Lakewood at a date soon to be announced. You are invited to join us in celebrating her life with all that she loved, her strong faith, her family and friends, music and laughter.
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