Kathryn C. Ewald

Kay Ewald passed away peacefully in her sleep into the arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ early August 13, 2014 at Willow Springs Care Center in Yakima WA. She had just turned 94 the week before. Kathryn Christine Forsman was born August 5, 1920 in a little farm house in Strasbourg, Saskatchewan, Canada to Martin and Dagny Forsman. She moved to Chicago IL when she was about 16, graduated from Austin High School in 1938. She attended a commercial art school, worked in Chicago for several years as a bookkeeper. She met Ronald G Ewald at a New Year’s Eve service at church and they married November 26, 1948. While on their honeymoon, they decided they liked Yakima and moved here in 1954 leaving their families and friends in Chicago. In 1950 they welcomed Roger, and then in 1958 they welcomed Sandy. Kay worked as a bookkeeper for JC Penney, Olympia Beer, and National Foods. Later she became Activities Director at Summitview Manor Nursing Home for many years and then for a short time worked in Activities at Stawns Nursing Home until she retired. Kay was a charter member of West Side Baptist Church where she sang in the choir, she and Ron spent some years serving in the children’s ministries and later serving where needed. Kay is survived by her son Roger Ewald and his wife Heather; daughter Sandy Anderson and her husband Joshua; grandchildren Krystine and Nathan Anderson; Mary, Christina, Josh, Crystal, Alan and Tim Ewald; 10 great grandchildren. Kay was preceded in death by her parents, Martin and Dagny, her brothers Willard and Lloyd; her husband Ronald G Ewald. The family wishes to thank the loving staff at Willow Springs for their care and love of Kay during her time there. She loved flowers, but in lieu of flowers she would have preferred donations be made to the Union Gospel Mission in Yakima.

Memories from Sandy:

We lived down the street from Summitview School so when I was younger Mom was involved with PTA, as a room mother, and also spent many hours as a playground mom when she wasn’t working full time. Some years at Halloween she would dress up as a witch for handing out candy and when she saw one of the older kids from school she would chase them around the yard. She would usually get sick after Halloween from running around outside.

One Halloween her co-worker Pat created a couple fancy clown costumes and they wore them to work during the carnival they put on for the residents. She also wore that costume to hand out candy to the kids at the house, but she didn’t chase the kids those times.

Mom loved to cook and I remember many holiday dinners at our house and there were always extra people around. If someone was going to be alone, Mom or Dad would invite them over. She loved to feed and was always making sure everybody was stuffed. And then came the dessert. Ugh!

Mom also liked to bake so there were usually several large plastic mayonnaise jars of cookies in the freezer door to choose from. Having them in the freezer made them last longer because you had to go out to the garage, unscrew the cold lid and put it back on without dropping your cookies. Christmas was a cookie smorgasbord, especially after she retired. There were usually pies in the freezer too so she could just throw it in the oven and bake. People loved her pies. Huckleberry pie lovers had a good time at our house during huckleberry season.

Mom also loved crafty type stuff so being Activities Director at the nursing home was right up her alley. There were usually piles of craft stuff around the house and the garage was full of craft supplies. Holidays nearly killed her getting ready for them at home and at work. She wanted to be sure the residents had a good time and were happy. She usually ended up getting sick after holidays too because she didn’t know when to quit. But she loved doing it and being a tough Swede, she survived. Dad used to get so frustrated at her doing this to herself.

She always wanted to make people happy.