Alma Margretta Blair

Alma Margretta Blair, 87, passed away on July 7, 2014 at her home in Olympia, Washington, where she was being cared for by her nieces: Joyce Johnson, Deborah Johnson and Betty Warr and her nephew and his wife, John and Lois Lemley.

Alma was born on February 8, 1927 in Harrah, Washington to Margretta Victoria Sterling Lemley and George William Lemley. She was the last of nine children. They moved to Ellensburg, Washington when she was 9 and that was where she enjoyed her childhood and went to school. Alma went to the SDA Academy in Grandview to the 10th grade.

Alma grew up riding horses and bicycles with her two older brothers, Abe and George. They rode all over Ellensburg visiting with family and friends. She talked about arguing with her older sister Ada every night while they did dishes. Every night you could hear their papa saying "I heard enough girls." Ada would always have to go to the outhouse right in the middle of doing dishes and never returning. So Alma would have to finish the dishes all by herself.

Alma's best friend was Winona Gordon who worked at the bakery in Ellensburg. Winona was going on vacation with her family for a month and asked Alma to work for her while she was gone. When returning the boss told Winona that Alma did such a good job that they wanted to keep her on so they both ended up working there and later Winona became Alma's sister-in-law, marring her brother Elbert.

Alma was raised an Adventist, being baptized when she was 12 years old, and loved the Lord very much. Her whole life was centered around serving Him. She participated in many church functions. Alma and Richard were Pathfinder leaders, Sabbath school teachers for both the youth and adults, Dorcas leaders, Vacation Bible School teacher and she was a deaconess. In all these activities they always took her niece and nephew, Joyce and George Sower, with them.

Alma met her "BABY DOLL" Richard at the skating rink in Ellensburg. Richard was home on shore leave from the Navy and went to Ellensburg to visit a cousin. They decided to go roller skating, Richard took one look at Alma and it was love at first sight. He asked her to skate and skated with her the rest of the evening. While skating they tripped over someone and fell. Richard liked to tell everyone that they literally fell for each other. Since Richard was in the U. S. Navy, he had to return to his ship and they soon started writing letters and three months later Richard proposed by mail and Alma said "yes."

They were married June 20, 1946 in Seattle, Washington at Richard's parents' home. Alma lived next door to her mother Retta all the while she lived in Ellensburg. When Richard got a job in Olympia and moved his family there, they moved her mother with them.

While Richard was still in the service Alma worked as a seamstress at a fabric shop in Ellensburg. She continued to work there for may years while Richard went to school to become a body finder mechanic.

Their first son, James Lee, was born in 1947 and their second son, Donald Ray, was born in 1958. While in Ellensburg, they were foster parents for special needs children.

After moving to Olympia, Alma and Richard got interested in videotaping, and after taking several classes, they became the people to call when you wanted some special event taped. She especially enjoyed taping weddings, school functions and special programs at the church and of course the family's Thanksgiving dinners, birthday parties and family reunions.

Alma worked as a nurse's aide at Pan-a-Rama for many years, she also worked at Seldens making and selling drapes and later started a drape shop in her garage, doing custom draperies. While Elder Leonard Jacques was the president of the Washington conference, he asked Alma to make the banners that hung in the main auditorium of the Auburn camp meeting. She did this for may years.

Alma was very artistic. She would doodle as she talked on the phone, setting at the table and at church on the back of the church bulletin. Her sister Ada taught her to oil paint. She loved to sew and quilted with her mother and sister-in-law Thelma Villwock. She loved going to camp meeting at Auburn, Washington, Gladstone, Oregon and Hope, Canada. She loved going to the mountains camping with the SDA RV Club and she made the best mac and cheese casserole for all the family potlucks. When her great nieces and nephews would come to visit, she would always make them fry-chick which was their favorite. If you had ever been to her home you knew that her favorite color was turquoise.

She was always telling her niece Joyce "I love you all to pieces". Alma suffered a stroke in August of 2012 and become bedfast 6 months later. She always had 3ABN on in her room day and hight. Her favorite programs were of the children singing and playing their instruments. Giving a promise to Alma that she would be able to stay in her home during this time, the family rallied around and made it happen.

Alma is survived by her husband Richard Blair, four granddaughters: Kyn Ellenburger, Baily Cade, Tawnya and her husband Jeff Robertson, and Karrena Nicole and her husband Brian Bullock, eight great-grandchildren: Jordynn Cade, Connor Robertson, Mason Robertson, Latisha Smith, Brian Bullock, Jr., Kavon Bullock, Timmerie Woodland, Janessa Woodland, and one great-great-grandson, Ethan Lankford. One sister-in-law, Winona and her husband James Woods, one brother-in-law, Lee Davidson and 17 nieces and nephews as well as some great and great-greats.

Alma's long life meant she out lived many of her close friends and family. She knew the sorrow of losing loved ones. Alma was the last of her family. Preceding her in death are her parents, all of her cousins, her two sons: James Lee Blair in 2006 and his wife Camille in 2002 and Donald Ray Blair in 981; two sisters: Gladys Bulter and her husband Lucius Butler, Ada Noyes and her husbands Wallace Noyes and Vincent Sowder; six brother: Charles Lemley, Elbert Lemley, Arthur Lemley and his wife Mary, Ralph Lemley and his wife Jennie, George Lemley, and Abe Lemley; two sister-in laws: Thelma Villwock and her husband Charles Villwock, Irene Davidson and her husbands Maurice Henry and Lue Lumbert; two nephews: Ivan Dale Sower and Vincent George Sowder.

Matthew 19:5 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." Alma and Richard were always together - Richard would tell the story that the only time they were apart was when he was in the hospital. They were marred 67 years and would say "I love you" to each other every day. They were as much in love today as they were when they first got married. They were best friends. Her grand-daughter Tawyna Robertson will now sing "YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND."

Interment will be at Mills & Mills Memorial Park. A Memorial Service will be at 3:00 pm on August 17, 2014 at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 5831 Mullin Rd. SE, Lacey, Washington.

Arrangements under the direction of Mills & Mills Funeral Home and Memorial Park, Tumwater, WA.