Carol D. Anderson

Carol Diane Anderson, born December 12, 1940 in Jefferson, OR passed away on July 10, 2014 at Providence St. Peter’s Hospital. She was the first born child of George W. and Dorothy M. (Jones) VanDeventer. She spent her early years in the Jefferson/Albany area where she learned the value of hard work and helping the family, by working in the in the mint fields during the summer to earn money to buy school clothes. She also remembered delivering the newspaper to the local area.

The family moved to Olympia, WA in the mid 1956, and she graduated from Olympia High School in 1959. She met and married Harry W. Anderson later that same year. Carol and her husband were married 54 years and they settled first in Olympia, and then moved to Lacey, WA where they spent the next 50 years together at the family home.

Carol is survived by her husband, Harry, her two sons Keith and Ken Anderson, her daughter Karen Anderson (Peterson), four grandchildren, Desire Schott, Nicole Blystone, Brittany Peterson and Taylor Anderson, as well as two great grandchildren, Blaine and Carter Schott. Other survivors include a sister, Donna Larson, and two brothers Roy VanDeventer and Neal VanDeventer and numerous nieces and nephews.

Carol was a homemaker who always put her family first. She passed on her love of music and her artistic talents to her children. She loved gardening and was proud of how many people commented on how beautiful the front yard looked.

Carol played organ and piano, and for a time worked part time teaching at Yenney Music Company. She loved to sew, and early in her marriage she bought her first sewing machine (a singer) and made clothes for her children and later in life made doll clothes for the numerous dolls she made and collected. She also developed a great love of quilting and made many beautiful quilts and loved to surprise family members with their own special quit at Christmas and for birthdays. She was also involved with a group of quilters called Quilts of Valor who would meet monthly and each member would complete a quilt and they would be given to a war veteran.

A highlight of her life was a trip to Australia after her husband retired, where they re-united with daughter Karen, son-in-law Adam and granddaughter Nicole for a 2 month visit and tour of southeastern Australia, and then a week in New Zealand before returning home.

Carol loved collecting knick knacks and figurines, particularly Precious Moments, of which she has an extensive collection. This always made selecting gifts for her birthday, Mother’s Day and Christmas easy.

She and her husband enjoyed camping and the outdoors and loved going on camping trips with the family whether this was tent camping or by camper or trailer. She also enjoyed cruising with her husband and they took numerous cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Mexico. The scenery, the shipboard atmosphere, the shows, and especially dressing up for elegant dinners were always special for her.

Carol died at an early age as she had many more quilts that she wanted to make. Her sewing room is a testament to that, as she left numerous partially completed quilts and her “stash” of materials for additional quilts.

Carol will be missed by all. We will miss her love, warmth, energy and enthusiasm for life.

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