Laurena H. “Rena” Anderson, (68) peacefully passed away Monday, January 30, 2012 at her home in Electric City, Washington, surrounded by her loving family, after a battle with cancer. Rena was one of two children, born on November 16, 1943, in Victoria B.C., Canada, to Cecil and Edna Beaman.
When Rena was five years old, her family moved from Victoria B.C., Canada to Yakima, Washington, where she met and married her high school sweetheart, Ken Anderson on March 29, 1961 and started their family together. Shortly after they were married they moved to Renton, Washington where they both worked for Boeing. Ken began his own construction business and they moved to Olympia, Washington in 1972 where they raised their three daughters.
Her greatest joy was raising and caring for her family, who all have fond memories of the wonderful times spent together at their baseball games, camping trips, vacations and with long time family friends.
Rena was a leader of the Blue Birds and Camp Fire Girls and had both a cleaning and wallpaper hanging business for years. She was a dedicated member of the Eagles and Moose clubs, and enjoyed working on steak night at the Tenino Eagles for many years. She enjoyed going dancing, boating and vacationing with her family and friends. Some of her most memorable vacations were the family’s last trip to Florida in April 2011 to celebrate her and Ken’s 50th wedding anniversary, and numerous trips to the Hawaiian Islands. She always enjoyed her Canadian family reunions that were held every three years and hosted the 2004 reunion in Tumwater, Washington. Rena always had a great time going on road trips with her sister, Pearl, and RV camping trips with her mom and step-father, Edna and Chuck. Rena was very adventurous; she water skied, snow skied, snow mobiled, went on white water rafting trips, and would drive their RV with the ski boat hitched behind, to many of her favorite camping spots, including Vantage on the Columbia River, and several beautiful lakes in Washington State. Rena always enjoyed finding a good deal at garage sales and thrift/antique stores. She loved to put puzzles together and to play card/dice games with her family and friends.
After retiring in 2005, Ken and Rena moved across the mountains to Electric City, Washington, developing new friendships and enjoying camping trips in their motor home and looking out their windows each day to their beautiful view of Banks Lake. Rena dedicated much of her time to the community of Electric City. She was a remarkable example of what a wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and citizen can be. She will be dearly missed, but forever close in our hearts.
Preceded in death by her father Cecil Beaman, mother Edna Beaman-Smith, step-father Charles Smith, brother-in-law Tony Madden, granddaughter Crystal Smith, and an infant grandson, baby Kenny Smith. She is survived by her loving husband of 50 years, Ken Anderson, their 3 daughters and their husbands, Debbie and Tom Pifer of Electric City, Cindy and Tim Bunnell of Olympia, and Cherie and Howard Bullett of Tumwater, Washington; 6 grandchildren, McKenzie (Pifer) Coleman with husband Casey, Angela Smith, Corey and Raquel Bunnell and Chelan and Taylor Bullett; great-granddaughter Abigail Coleman; sister Pearl Madden, 3 nieces, Mickey Yardley, Laura Paech and Denise Bell, and 3 great-nephews, Eric Yardley, Ryan Hunter, and Anthony Bell, all of Canada; 2 step-brothers, Mike and Mitch Smith, and her dearest friend Nan Noren.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 5:00 pm, at Mills & Mills Funeral Home, 5725 Littlerock Rd SW, Tumwater, WA. A reception will follow at the South Pacific Restaurant in Tumwater. The family would like to thank all friends and family for their support. For a full obituary and pictures, please visit www.millsandmillsfunerals.com.
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