After a long, full, and wonderful life, Eileen Nordis (Drake) Reitmeier 106, left us on October 19, 2020. She was all about family, friends, and church, and her little dog, Muffin. She was optimistic and always looking on the bright side of everything and everyone. Eileen is the perfect example of how a positive attitude, exercise, hard work and a life focused on family, friends, and faith lead to a long and happy life.
Eileen was born in Spokane, WA on October 6, 1914, to Ernest and Alberta (Brydsen) Drake before moving to the Wenas Valley. Eileen was the eldest of seven girls and two boys and growing up in the Wenas Valley in the early 1900’s was difficult.
She could recount personal experiences including everything from living during the Great Depression, to witnessing the birth and progression of computers, televisions and watching the first moon landing, and everything in between.
With nine children, there was always a baby in the house. Eileen’s brothers died when they were toddlers and she grew up with her six sisters. She enjoyed her youth even though they had no electricity, no indoor plumbing and no running water. They had to carry water from a spring and wash clothes in an old wooden tub.
Growing up, Eileen, always enjoyed learning and improving. In high school she took home economics classes. As an older sister, she made clothes for her siblings and as a devoted homemaker and mother, she used this skill to make clothes for her children later in life. She also crocheted many afghans, doilies, and baby clothes.
Eileen graduated from Selah High School in 1932 and married Paul Reitmeier, who she met on a blind date, spent 30 wonderful years with, and worked side by side in the orchard they owned of apples, pears, peaches and cherries.
In 1939, Eileen’s father and Paul built their home on Reitmeier land where her husband, Paul, was born in 1909. Eileen lived out most of her life in that same house on what is now called Reitmeier Lane. When her children were growing up, the house constantly smelled of home baked bread, pies, and was filled with flowers from her garden.
When her beloved husband died of a sudden heart attack in 1962 and left Eileen a widow, she continued to learn and work hard. Eileen ensured that the fruit was harvested that season and returned to school at Yakima Business College to further her education. She worked 22 years in Selah and Yakima for doctors as a nurse’s assistant and medical receptionist, retiring, still vibrant, at the age of 70. Eileen was an active member of the Washington State Society of Medical Assistants. She had many patients who loved and remembered her for her continually looking on the bright side of everything and everyone.
The next 30 years Eileen centered her life around her senior exercise class at the Selah Civic Center and her water aerobics class at the YMCA, attributing her long life to optimism and daily exercise. Eileen was Y Member of the Month when she was 97. She walked in the 7-mile Bloomsday in Spokane several times and finished a 5 K in Oslo, Norway, while in her 90s.
During her retirement, she traveled to Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland with her daughter, Janice. Eileen also visited Hawaii and took a beautiful cruise to Alaska.
Not only did she believe in regular exercise and positivity, she also believed heartily in the church she attended. Eileen attended the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Yakima, participated in the evangelism committee, visited shut-ins, taught Sunday School, and decorated the church with flowers. She constantly strived to better the lives around her and found her life fulfilling in the process.
In 2014, she rode in the Selah Community Day parade as the Honored Pioneer.
Eileen lived in her Selah home for most of her ending years, with her little dog, Muffin, who brought her daily joy and additional purpose.
Eileen truly loved her family and the many reunions, parties and special occasions. Receiving and giving cards was so important to her. She especially appreciated her recent 106th birthday on October 6th. The abundance of cards, letters, flowers and balloons gave her many smiles and feelings of gratitude. Eileen loved living in Selah and always kept up with her children’s classmates and supported her children in all their activities, …an all-around great Mother.
Her loving surviving family members are her daughter, Janice Brydsen of Selah, WA, six grandchildren, Pamela, Richard, Kevin, Scott, Heather, and Kara; seven great-grandchildren, 5 great-great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-great grandson and many wonderful nieces and nephews.
Besides her husband Paul, Eileen was preceded in death by: her daughter, Doreen Lusby, who died on July 4, 1997; her son, Keith, who died on October 29, 2005; six sisters: Gladys Roberts of Yakima, Dorothy Paradis of Yakima, Virginia Puyear of Yakima, Betty Kuhl of Baker City, OR., Marilyn Lewis, DVM of Fresno, CA., Phyllis Day of Maple Valley, WA; and two toddler brothers, Charles Drake and Ernest Drake Jr., also, her parents, Ernest and Alberta Drake of Selah.
Viewing and visitation will be held on Thursday, October 29, 2020 from 3:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Keith & Keith Funeral Home, 902 West Yakima Ave. A Family Graveside Service will be held on Friday, October 30, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at West Hills Memorial Park. A celebration of Eileen’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Friday, October 15, 2021. Memorial contributions honoring Eileen may be made to Yakima Area Arboretum, Yakima Humane Society, or Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
Thank you to Virginia Mason Memorial Hospice for their excellent and compassionate care of Mother. A special thanks to Cheri Alexander RN.
If you wish to share memories and condolences online for the family, please visit www.keithandkeith.com.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18