Ella L Asimus

Born March 1, 1914 in Spokane, WA. at her Grandparent’s home while homesteading in Republic ,WA. in a rustic log cabin built by her dad. She grew up mostly in Glenrose Valley in what is now Spokane Valley in another house built by her dad on 5 acres which is still standing and used today. She went to a country school about a mile up the road with no school bus to pick you up even when the snow drifts were 5 and 6 feet deep. The school had 30 students in 8 grades in one room. Ella prepared to go to college to be a teacher taking the necessary classic requirements in High school only to have the depression come along to make it financially impossible but instead she was able to attend Kinnman Business college to achieve secretarial skills. She met her future husband at 16 years of age while acting in a play wearing a shaggy red wig and blacking out her front teeth. He was playing a crook. So after graduating from business school at 18 ½ years old, she eloped to Pendleton , Oregon with Theodore (Ted) Asimus on October 1, 1932

Ella and Ted spent the next 68 years together working, playing and raising a family of three. Because of Ted’s job with the State Dept. the family ended up moving across the state to Olympia, WA. The home they lived in for 40 years was in rural Tumwater a suburb of Olympia on old highway 99. Mom stayed home and raised her three children, and a huge garden, canned and froze everything she could, even raised chickens for eggs and meat. They had a large yard with a variety of fruit trees, nuts and berries. She was an excellent cook and housekeeper as well as a grower of beautiful flowers in her yard. Her strong work ethic and dedication to any job was fully intact when she worked for the Dept. of Public Assistance as the head Secretary for 15 years. Her energy and focus made it possible to spend long hours at work and then come home and make a wonderful well balanced meal for 5 and spend quality time with each of her three children so that no one ever felt deprived. She could sew her clothes for herself and her children when needed and knew how to knit, crochet and do many arts and crafts. She also loved to entertain others with fabulous meals without much notice. There were no fast foods to buy on the way home from work. She spent many years at Gloria Dei Lutheran church singing in the Choir.

After they sold their big home in Tumwater they spent part of the year in Columbus Park on Black lake and the winters in their trailer and later Park Model home in California enjoying the retirement lifestyle and making new friends while enjoying the old ones. Ella always had a green thumb and no matter where she settled, she had flowers all around her. Even when she spent several years at Olympics West Retirement Home, she had her hanging baskets and planters full of beautiful blooms. She took up acrylic painting during her 80’s and was very prolific in producing many lovely pictures for her home and her children’s homes just as her mother before her had done with oils. She joined a writing group at Olympic’s West and wrote over 70 stories about life’s experiences and observations. We all agree she would have been a great English teacher. She has spent her last 3 years in Seattle near her daughter, Mary Carey while staying with a wonderful nurturing couple, Bob and Marilynn Clark and Colin of Clark Farm Seniors home where she celebrated her 100th birthday in grand style with many friends and family present. They have made her last years very special and we are most grateful.

Ella was preceded in death by her mother and father, Robert and Estelle (McCall) Clark and her sister, June Rice, and brothers, Robert and Joseph Clark. She leaves behind 3 children: Richard A. Asimus (wife Joyce); Joyce Cowin (Dick) ; Mary Carey (Stan). ten grandchildren and _16 great-grandchildren and 7 great-great-grandchildren.

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