Elsa Grunenfelder

Elsa spent 91 rich years on this Earth. Born Elsa J. Issacson, December 9, 1918 in Bisbee, AZ, she was a long time resident of Olympia, WA. Elsa is survived by her older sister, Svea Stutz, 96, four children: three sons, Don, Doug and Richard (Dick) Grunenfelder, one daughter, Barbra Jean Dorn, 14 grandchildren, 21 great-grand children, several nephews and nieces, two foster sons, several cousins, significant in-laws and many, many, many friends.

Elsa, Mom, Grandma G, Aunt Elsa, Great Grandma, GG, was the youngest of three children to John and Hanna Issacson. Elsa was a proud Swedish American and loved lutefisk and speaking Swedish with her older sister Svea.

Elsa spent her childhood in Rochester & Centralia, WA where she met her future husband John Grunenfelder, they were married June 21, 1937.

John and Elsa settled in Olympia and raised a family. In the 1950’s they bought and moved the family to the Maple’s Resort on Black Lake in West Olympia. John and Elsa owned and operated the Maple’s for nearly 30 years. The Maple’s was a family and friend’s gathering place, a summer ritual and the basis for many wonderful memories. Elsa tended to family and ran the Maple’s with flair, precision and style. Checking in campers, renting boats, minding the store, cleaning the park, cooking meals, cleaning fish, watching children and grand children. Elsa was all of 5’4” but she was not short on love and energy. For many years Elsa would sew 14 sets of Pajamas, all matching, for Christmas to give to her grandchildren. Family was Elsa’s priority in life.

From Black Lake John and Elsa retired to Toledo, WA where they raised beef, chickens and maintained a flower garden and a large vegetable garden (“not as a big as Barney’s garden, but it’s getting there” Elsa would sometimes say). Many a fall was spent putting up food for the winter. It was a family tradition to all gather in Toledo with Grandpa & Grandma G, snap beans, blanch peaches and can fruits/vegetables as well as cut and wrap beef for the winter. Elsa had a green thumb and a knack for bringing the beauty and goodness from the earth and especially from out of People.

From Toledo Elsa moved closer to family back to the Olympia area where she continued to raise flowers, fruits and vegetables.

Elsa loved all living things. She had several dogs & cats, raised Peacocks, exotic pheasants and other birds. Elsa loved pinnacle, the polka, western movies, country music, humming birds, cooking, seafood, Mariner’s Baseball and Wheel of Fortune.

Most of all Elsa loved Family and Friends. She engaged in conversation and was always up to date with all our “going ons”. If too much time passed she was on the phone checking in or sending word to “call Grandma”.

The world is a lonelier place with Elsa gone. We miss you, we love you and you will live on in our memories and in our hearts.

In remembrance of Elsa reach out to your family and rekindle relationships, help somebody in need, adopt a pet, plant a tree and flower garden, call your Mom, call your Grandmother and tell them how much you love them.