Mildred F. Tobin

Mildred was born on January 16, 1914 in New Plymouth, Idaho to Robert E. Boyd and Ruth Johnson Boyd. She passed away on June 9, 2011 at Good Samaritan Health Care Center in Yakima Washington at the age of 97. She was the third of seven children and spent her early years in Payette Idaho and Nyssa Oregon. At the age of twelve her family left Idaho and moved to Leavenworth WA due to her father’s health. Mildred graduated from Leavenworth High School in 1930 at the age of 16. Her big desire was to attend Washington State College in Pullman and pursue a career in nursing however the $300 tuition was an obstacle that she could not overcome. Instead she worked at various jobs that ranged from orchard work in the Leavenworth area to a waitress job at Mannings Restaurant in Seattle. Upon her return from Seattle to Leavenworth she took a job as a waitress in a cookhouse on Blewette Pass. It was there in 1934 that she met and married a construction worker by the name of James A Tobin and together they moved to Yakima to be near his family never to return to the Wenatchee Valley to Live.

Throughout the next forty years they worked through the depression, a world war, and several moves following construction. Mildred worked throughout her adult life in warehouses and numerous restaurants. After two hip replacement surgeries she was no longer able to be on her feet for long periods of time so she went through a retraining program and took a job as a secretary at Goodwill Industries where she worked until her retirement at the age of 75.

Mother always looked at every challenge as a glass half full. She always had a positive attitude which is summed up in a final message she wrote within the past year. “I feel very rich to have so many descendants. No mourning please, I was happy and now it is time to join the others. I never did any great things except I am proud of my job of mother, grandmother and great grandmother. All you need to accomplish what I have accomplished is love, patience and trust.”

She was preceded in death by her husband James, Her father and mother and all of her brothers and sisters. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law James and Mary Ann Smith of Selah, her son and daughter-in-law Jim and Jolene Tobin of Yakima, 6 grandchildren David Smith of Ann Arbor MI, Dan and Lisa Smith of Selah, Andy and Teri Smith of Selah, Scott and Shelley Smith of Selah, Jody Hawkins of Richland and James and Laura Tobin of Lacey WA. She is also survived by 11 great grandchildren Rachel and Joey Domino and Katie Smith of Ann Arbor MI, Tyler, Erin and Mike Smith of Selah, Amanda, Samantha and Joseph Hawkins of Richland and James, Caitlyn and Brayden Tobin of Lacey WA

Viewing will be held from 4 until 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at the Keith & Keith Ninth Avenue Chapel.

A vigil service will be held at the Keith & Keith Ninth Avenue Chapel on Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Holy Family Chapel, 5315 Tieton Drive Yakima on Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Concluding services and burial will follow at Terrace Heights Memorial Park.