Elizabeth Egge

Elizabeth Z. Egge passed peacefully into the arms of her Savior on July 24, 2023, at the age of 93, at Panorama in Lacey. Betty was born February 20, 1930, in Tillamook, Oregon, to Christian and Rosa Zurschmiede. They moved to Orting, Washington, when she was a baby, and in 1948 she graduated from Sumner High School, where she met her future husband, George A. Egge, Jr. They married in 1950 when they were in college, and they’d been married for 68 years when George passed away in 2018. After graduating high school, Betty attended Western Washington College of Education in Bellingham (now WWU) and Central Washington College of Education in Ellensburg (now CWU), graduating with a teaching degree. She taught grade school classes in Sacramento, California where they’d moved for George’s work in the 1950’s, then after they moved back to Washington in 1959, she taught first grade for about 20 years at McKinley Grade School in Olympia. Many of her co-workers and students from there still remember her fondly.

Betty was active in her church and community, volunteering her services to help a blind couple and people with special needs, and always lending a helpful hand to friends and family. Betty enjoyed doing crafts – everything from sewing teddy bears to clock repairs and furniture refinishing – gardening, cooking, and canning. She also enjoyed passing these and other valuable life skills on to her sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren.

Betty and George had two sons, David (Linda) Egge and Eric (LeeAnne) Egge, two grandsons, Christopher (Amanda) Egge and Brian Egge (Ceann Knox), and 4 great grandchildren (Addie, Tovin, Ryder, and Staylee). Her close and loving family of in-laws, nieces and nephews will miss her deeply as well. Her son David preceded Betty in death in 2010. Her sister, Arleen Loewen, also preceded her in death and her brother, Chris Zurschmiede, followed Betty to heaven only a few days after her passing. Betty was devoted to her family and friends and cared deeply for them all. She also appreciated her family greatly, often saying, “You’ll never know how much I appreciate all that you do for me.” We do know, Betty, and the feeling is mutual.

Services will be held for Betty at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Olympia on September 9th, 2023, at 12:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the following causes in Elizabeth's memory would be appreciated:

Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center for Sarcoma Research; send checks to P.O. Box 19024 J5-200, Seattle Washington 98109 or donate online at https://www.fredhutch.org/ and specify Sarcoma Research

Children’s Hospital "Diabetes for Children"; send checks to 4800 Sand Point Way N, Seattle, WA 98105, or donate online at https://give.seattlechildrens.org and specify Children’s Diabetes Research.

Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd "Columbarium Ministry”; send checks to 1601 North Street SE, Olympia, WA 98501

Or send your donations to Eric Egge, 3407 Morse Merryman Rd SE, Olympia, WA 98501 noting your preferred cause and we will make the donations on your behalf.