Annie Louise Walker

Annie Louise Walker passed away February 11, 2016 quietly at her home at Washington Oaks, Everett, WA surrounded in her last days by the love and devotion of her family who recently celebrated her 97th birthday. She joins her loving husband and we know they are holding hands again as they did here in life.

Annie was born February 5, 1919 at home on a wheat ranch in Eastern Washington near Benge, WA. She was the only child to Henry Moore and Pearl Evelyn Moore. She was named after her maternal grandmother and her middle name after a dear friend of her mother’s.

In 1925, when Annie was 5 years old, the family moved to La Grande, Oregon during the Great Depression and took over the 40-acre dairy farm of her father’s parents. She lived there until she left home after high school. She told many stories of her rural upbringing and the work ethic required of her. There was no running water or electricity in the house until after she left home in 1940. It was much later when the wood-burning stove in the kitchen was converted to an electric cooking stove. Annie had many jobs on the farm including trapping squirrels, gophers, and weasels during the summer for 5 cents, 10 cents and 25 cents each but she had to bring home the tail of the weasels to collect her payment. Her main daily job on the farm was to stir the milk in 10-gallon cans in the milk house. Every night she had to stir the milk until it was cool before she did anything else. The rigors of farm and rural living were the beginning of her internal strength and quiet being but also affected her allowed activities.

Annie attended Island City School through 8th grade and loved school. It was a mile walk from the farm and she told of walking on top of the fence posts when the snow was piled high in the winter. Sometimes she would take a short cut across a pond in the winter and fall in if it was frozen enough. Her favorite subjects were arithmetic and art. She won blue ribbons in track for dashes and won all the Spelling Bees except for one, for which she was teased severely by her peers for finally missing the word auxiliary. She played baseball in grade school, sometimes on the boys’ team and continued the love for the game into adulthood enjoying the Mariner’s games on TV.

Annie started taking music lessons in 3rd grade first on a pump organ and then on piano, which she loved. Eventually she played for Sunday school and church, the grade school assemblies and for entertainment at the PTA meetings. In 7th and 8th grade she was asked to teach some of her teachers students which she did for a while but she didn’t like teaching. In adulthood her husband encouraged her music talent on the organ and eventually bought her a piano, which really was her first love. When asked in later life what she was most good at, she said the piano. “She just loved it”

Annie attended La Grande High School and graduated in 1937. She was active as a class officer and President of the Honor Society but not able to participate in after school activities because of her farm responsibilities at home. Annie met her life long sweetheart, Richard G Walker, in Freshman Home Room. By sophomore year Dick had enough nerve to ask her on a date to a basketball game and they dated after that. Their dates were restricted by Annie’s duty to stir the milk every day and her conservative parent’s restrictions but Dick would go out to Annie’s farm to do homework or just see her. When they finished their work, they would make taffy. It was love at first sight and a storybook romance that spanned 5 years of courtship and over 75 years of marriage.

After high school Annie attended Draper Business School in La Grande completing the 2-year course in 18 months. She worked as a bookkeeper and stenographer in Union, Oregon at the Creamery hired by the farmers to oversee the accounting and verify their profits. In 1940 she got a job at 1st National Bank in Union and later transferred to La Grande with the bank as a teller. She was always exact and prided herself in balancing her till perfectly at the end of the day. She continued with that pride of balancing and numbers, continuing to balance her check register by hand over the years. She said she always like numbers.

Annie and Dick were married July 21, 1940 in Caldwell, Idaho with their parents in attendance. They continued to live in La Grande until Dick joined the Navy and was in training in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Soon Annie quit her job, moved out of the rented house, hopped on a bus by herself and joined Dick in Oklahoma. After training they were transferred to Corpus Christie, Texas where she worked a short time as a bookkeeper. This was the first time in her life she was able to enjoy “free time” and she loved it, enjoying beach life with her friend Dottie, learning to knit and play canasta and preferring to be called Ann.

Ann and Dick lived in Coos Bay, Oregon, Everett, Washington, and then San Mateo, California before retiring to Marysville, Washington. Ann had daughter, Linda, in Coos Bay, OR and son, Rod in Everett, WA. Ann was throughout the years a dedicated housewife and mother always making healthy home cooked meals, dedicating herself totally to the best interests and needs of her husband and children and later grandchildren before thinking of herself. There were always cookies after school and a warm smile and emotional support for any illness or heartache. For her children, it was said that she made being sick so much fun they didn’t want to get well! Her nurturing spirit was always foremost. She always had a positive attitude and recited the saying “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade”.

Ann supported her children’s interest in ballroom dancing and made all of their costumes. She was valued by the Imogene Woodruff Dance Studio by taking attendance and doing volunteer work with the Exhibition Group in which her children participated many days of the week. Ann’s countenance was evident when her son put his pet garter snake on the kitchen table during lunch and later her spirit of adventure when she calmly hopped on the back of his motorcycle for a ride with a big smile on her face.

Ann was proficient her entire life in hand arts and enjoyed working with fabric and fiber. Annie learned to embroider, crochet and sew at an early age from her mother which she continued her entire life and passed on those skills to her daughter. Many hours were enjoyed together sewing and creating outfits and craft projects. Ann knit a full-length coat for Linda’s wedding never complaining when the cat unraveled many inches while Ann was away. In later years, Ann knit, sewed and crocheted baby blankets for her 4 granddaughters as well as baby outfits, dress up dresses, Halloween costumes, baby doll clothes and lots and lots of Barbie outfits. Those were always prized gifts from Grandma.

In retirement, Ann explored new ways with the sewing machine incorporating fancy stitches and finishes to her work as Dick encouraged her buying new sewing machines with the latest technology. She spent hours in her sewing room with an unending stream of enthusiasm and projects. When not sewing, knitting or doing fiber art she loved gardening. Her gardens were well tended and she gave each flower and plant the same nurturing care she gave her family and her craft projects. She would cup a flower in her hand and admire the beauty as a gift of nature to be loved.

Dick and Ann reignited their love of Square Dancing and reestablished their skills after returning to Everett in 1980 becoming active in Happy Hoppers club activities. They were named “Sweethearts of the Year” at the annual Happy Hopper Valentine’s Day dance in 1995. Ann was known for the scrumptious homemade cookies and the goodies she brought to the dances. She also was the club Historian for several years updating the scrapbook of the activities for the club. Ann made all of her square dance skirts and blouses and also made some of Dick’s shirts decorated with hand embroidery.

One Christmas Ann received a miniature dollhouse that she embraced as a new hobby adding wallpaper, electric lights (wired with precision by Dick) paint and charm making it her own. She made many miniature pieces by hand and enjoyed collecting miniature furniture and displays from their travels. It was always an attraction when visiting Grandma’s house. A thimble collection started by her mother also became a hobby and collection.

Ann will always be remembered for her holiday decorations and handmade craft decorations throughout the year. It was always fun to go to her house and be surrounded by her crafts and seasonal displays. Christmas was special for each of the past 40 years in that she exchanged a Christmas ornament with the girls in the family. Grandma’s were always the most intricate, each one taking hours to make. She took pride in putting just the right finishing touches on each object she made so that each took on an individual persona.

In recent years she continued with her hand arts making two baby blankets for the first two great-grandchildren which are prized possessions. Other heirloom pieces are beautiful Christmas Stockings she made and embroidered for her children and grandchildren out of a silk crazy quilt originally made by her own mother. Her hand skills were exceptional and admired by the entire family and others.

Ann loved her family and felt happiest doing something for them or gathering with them for holidays and special occasions. Her 4 granddaughters brought special joy to her life over the years with many shared times and projects together. Making cookies, waiting for the homemade bread to come out of the oven, making Candy houses at Christmas, making a doll dress or playing a game were made so special by her expression of love and devotion for her family.

She is survived by her daughter Linda Vandree (John) in Everett, Washington, son Rod Walker (Melanie), Waterford, California, 4 granddaughters, Kyla Mangini (Colby), Memphis, TN, Kendra Vandree, Agarfa Ethiopia, Lindsey Sindayen (Chris) and Elly Walker in Walnut Creek, California and 4 great grandchildren, Marcus and Rory Mangini and Korrinne and Walker James Sindayen.

Ann will be remembered for her quiet strength and loving, nurturing spirit, her smiles and wit. She was a humble woman of grace with a genuine sweet nature, gentle manner and positive attitude, who quietly taught her family much about living and loving. She will be greatly missed but has left many lasting memories to warm our hearts.

A celebration of Ann’s life will be held at Evergreen Funeral Home and Cemetery on February 27, 2016 at 1 P.M. A reception will follow at the family home. Remembrances may be made to Providence Hospice, Everett, and Sacred Harmonies Music-Thanatology Harp Program at Providence Regional Medical Center