Myrtle Ivy Greene

Myrtle Ivy Andersen Greene was born on Thanksgiving Day, November 30, 1916, to Anton and Jacobe Andersen, a young Danish immigrant couple in Mukilteo, WA. Soon after Myrtle’s birth, her father won a lottery for land in the Okanogan area and the family moved there to become wheat farmers. Myrtle had many fond memories of growing up on the farm. She loved to tell the story of how one night, when they had been at a community function, it began to snow very hard. Her dad gave the reins to their team of horses: Sissy and Topsie. The horses led the wagon home. The rest of the night they listened to everyone else trying to get home; they couldn’t see where they were going. The next morning there were circles of tracks in the snow. She also loved the day trips to town when her dad would treat her to ice cream, something that remained her favorite food her whole life. When Myrtle was five, she and her mother traveled to Denmark to visit their family; they stayed for six months. When they returned, Myrtle could only speak Danish; she had couldn’t remember how to speak English. Many of her stories began with, “When I was five…” It began her love of traveling and adventure.

When Myrtle was six, they moved back to Mukilteo for her to start school. She attended Rosehill Elementary in Mukilteo and then went to Everett High School. Myrtle learned to swim in the Bay at Shinglemill Beach; she had never swam in fresh water until she took her lifesaving test. She couldn’t believe how heavy she felt in the swimming pool! She learned to roller-skate on the sidewalk by the Mukilteo Lighthouse, the only pavement in town. Prior to settling in Mukilteo and marrying Myrtle’s mother, Myrtle’s father had been a sailor. One day she asked her dad to row her to Whidbey Island. They ended up rowing back in the dark following the guiding light of the Lighthouse. Lighthouses and the Sea were a huge part of her life. Although all of her parents’ family lived in Denmark, they were part of a large Danish community in Mukilteo. During the holidays, they got together to celebrate. They also gathered for family functions; many of those families are still considered family to this day.

Myrtle’s dad told her that he couldn’t give her money, but he could give her an education; something no one could take away. As a result, Myrtle attended Western Washington State College of Education where she received her teaching degree. Her first teaching job was in Eden, WA at a one room school house with six students. When all of her students came down with chicken pox, they closed the school for two weeks. The next year it was consolidated with the neighboring district and Myrtle took a teaching job in Snohomish. When WWII broke out, it became hard to travel unless it was for a job. Myrtle applied and was hired to be a waterfront director at the Girl Scout camp in Cleveland, OH. When the summer was over, she took a teaching job there.

In 1947, after the war ended, Myrtle traveled to Denmark with her parents and sister to visit relatives. Denmark and Danish traditions filled her home. She maintained a close relationship with her Danish family for her entire life.

Upon returning from Denmark, Myrtle took a teaching job in Tacoma, WA and started teaching swimming at the YMCA, where she joined a square dance class to meet people. When she signed up for the class, she was told she needed a partner. She told them, “well, how is anyone suppose to meet people if they always need a partner?” She was told that there was a young camp director that may agree to be her partner. If it didn’t work, they could find someone else. She was introduced to Noel “Clive” Greene. Clive was the love of Myrtle’s life. They were married on April 3, 1950. One year later, they had their first child, Joel.

In 1953, they moved to Yakima, WA when Clive took a job as the camp and youth director for the Yakima Family YMCA. Summers were spent living in a small cabin at Camp Dudley. Myrtle and Clive lost a baby girl and triplets along the way, but in 1956, the family of 3 became a family of 4 when their daughter Lou was born. Myrtle liked to tell the story of sitting under a tree when she was pregnant with her daughter, watching the pool being built. YMCA Camp Dudley and the families were a big part of their lives.

In 1961, Myrtle’s husband Clive read an article in a magazine about how to build a pool in your back yard. Myrtle and Clive decided they were going to build a pool for Myrtle to teach swimming in; she wanted to earn extra money to remodel their house. People thought they were crazy, but the pool was a success. Myrtle taught many children to swim, including her grandchildren, and taught swimming in that pool until she sold the family home in 1998.

Myrtle returned to teaching school in 1968 to help support her family after her husband had to take an early retirement. She continued to teach for the Yakima School District until she retired in 1983. She taught kinder through third grade during those years but her favorite was always kindergarten. She was greatly loved as both a school and swimming teacher; she couldn’t go anywhere without someone stopping her and saying, “aren’t you Mrs. Greene? You taught me to swim/were my favorite teacher in school!”

Myrtle spent her retirement years traveling and taking care of her grandchildren. She went to Hawaii many times. She went once with her whole family: one of her favorite trips. She also went on many cruises, visited Japan, and Germany. She returned to Denmark three times for extended stays, twice with her daughter and once with her oldest grandson. Myrtle took each of her grandchildren on a trip when they finished fifth grade. Her oldest grandson said he learned his spirit of adventure from “Gramma.” Myrtle made two very important trips this summer: one to Kettle Falls, Wa for her grandson Ezra’s wedding and her final trip to Camp Dudley for her Grandson Christopher’s wedding.

Myrtle lived a full life filled with love for Family, friends, and adventure. God fulfilled her greatest prayers to live to see her grandsons’ weddings and to have great grandchildren.

Myrtle spent her last few days at Cottage in the Meadow in the loving hands of the staff there surrounded by her family. She went home to her Lord on September 23, 2013 after a long love filled life of almost 97 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Anton and Jacobe Andersen, her Husband, Clive Greene, and her daughter-in-law, Jan Saafeld. She is survived by her sister, Alice Marie Andersen, her son, Joel Greene of Kettle Falls, WA, her daughter Lou, and son-in -law, Rocky Willette of Yakima, WA. Her Grandchildren, Ezra (Krista) Greene of Vancouver BC, Ella Greene of Breckinridge, CO, Christopher (Shelby) Willette of Cheney, WA, Zach (Jessica) Willette of Yakima, WA and Annika Willette of Yakima, WA. She is also survived by 4 great grandchildren.

A celebration of life service will be held Saturday September 29, 2013 at 11:00 AM in the First Presbyterian Church of Yakima. In Lieu of flowers or gifts the family asks that donations be made to the YMCACamp Dudley Scholarship fund. To share a memory of Myrtle please visit keithandkeith.com.