June Caroline Cooley

Our beloved June passed away in the arms of family at Swedish/Edmonds after spending 6 days with complications from pneumonia. She was born in Swedish/Seattle to Einar Nelson and Mary Carlson whose families immigrated from Sweden. When her mother died in childbirth, June and Mary Lou were raised in Ballard by their Aunt Inga and Uncle Frank Trimble. Her father remarried and stayed in contact with the girls and participated in all family gatherings. June attended Daniel Webster, James Monroe and graduated from Ballard High School in 1941. Her hobbies were dancing and fishing and ambition to be a "model" secretary. She was in the Honor Society and the Order of The Rainbow for Girls. She attended the 1938 Grand Assembly in Tacoma.

She worked at U.S. Plywood and later Morrell P. Totten, an insurance claims company. She met Bill (William) Cooley, a 1941 Lincoln High School graduate. Three years later he received his Mechanical Engineering Degree from the U.W. and joined the Navy. He was in charge of the engine room on the USS Kitkun Bay escort carrier.

They married in 1945, bought a home in Magnolia and raised Lynn and Bruce. Bill worked at Boeing for 36 years. June was a wonderful cook and loved to bake. She frosted angel food birthday cakes and her Krum Kaka, Spritz and Lefse were delicious.

June sewed costumes for Lynn's ballet recitals. She was a Brownie, Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader. She was an honest, kind and loving mother. She looked after several older family members including Bill's father Harold who lived with them for 14 years.

Bill had two weeks of vacation each year so the family drove to destinations in the west like Disneyland. Bill bought four U.W. football season tickets for the family and went to 6 Rose Bowls. Their first trip abroad as a family was in 1976 when they drove thru Europe in a BMW. Three years later June and Bill met Lynn in Sweden and flew to Moscow and Leningrad. In 1974 June and Lynn went with a Seattle tour group to Mexico City and Mazatlan over Christmas and New Year's. They returned to Mexico in 1977, flew to Puerta Vallarta and spent a week in the sunshine.

June rode with Bill when he skied at regional slopes like Stevens Pass and international resorts like Sun Valley and Whistler. They enjoyed Bicycle Saturdays and Sundays along Lake Washington. Other favorite rides were along Alki beach and the Seattle waterfront. Every evening they would walk to Magnolia Village.

She opened "Travel Fever" in 1984 with Lynn and her husband Bruce. Bill retired and joined them. They traveled to all states and over 50 countries on 6 continents.

She and Bill volunteered at the Seattle-King County Convention and Visitors Bureau escorting travel agents every Saturday night to Tillicum Village for a salmon dinner and Indian dances. She also registered delegates at conventions.

They volunteered for 14 years at Rainier View, Bagley and Broadview-Thomson schools where Lynn was the librarian. They received the Tony Cozens award for outstanding volunteer service to Seattle Public Schools.

She was the best grandmother to Christopher and Chase who lived in Puyallup.

When they were young, she and Bill would babysit. The family would celebrate all birthdays and holidays together. The six went to Sunriver to ski and ride bicycles.

When Bruce was in Dallas doing his residency in anesthesiology, they visited often and took side trips together.

Bruce and Karen built a home on Moses Lake 20 years ago and enjoyed entertaining June and Bill. Lynn and Bruce bought a Lake Shoecraft home 13 years ago and were so happy they could bring June up for a year when Covid hit the Assisted Living facilities.

The entire family has so many wonderful memories and will miss her tremendously.

The family thanks Edmonds Landing Retirement and Assisted Living for 10 years of excellent care.

June is survived by daughter, Lynn (Bruce) Edwards of Stanwood, WA; son, Dr. Bruce (Karen) Cooley of Puyallup, WA; grandson, Christopher Cooley of Tacoma, WA; grandson, Chase Cooley of Seattle, WA

Bill Cooley, husband, passed in 2013, age 89 Marilou Ekorenrud, sister, passed in 2015, age 86

A graveside service was held December 16th at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery.