Antoinette "Annie" Genzale

Annie Genzale is a true Burienite. For more than 70 years she has lived, worked and shopped in Burien.

She is such a long time resident she still refers to her telephone prefix as "CHerry-two," the old Pacific NW Bell designation.

As an inveterate shopper Annie spent many hours at "Bells of Burien which later became Lamont's prior to the entire area being replaced by the six-story condos now on that spot.

Well, Annie turned 90 in February when a party was held in her honor. The party celebrated her long career as a wife, mom, cook, farmer, and parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi in Seahurst.

This gentle lady was born in Salerno Italy, arriving in the Seattle area as a tiny 3-year-old with her parents. She grew up in the Rainier Valley, met and married Antonio "Tony" Genzale in 1942. The happy couple moved out to Burien/Sunnydale to begin their family and raise crops for sale at Pike Place Market.

For several years they toiled in the soil. By 1951 they had opened a small store near Lora Lake called The Garden Patch. It was on Des Moines Way South.

That blossomed into Cushing's Grocery, which she and Tony operated for more than 20 years. You could find her inside the store most hours of the day but at night she was a star on the company bowling team at Olympic Bowl next door.

Progress at Sea-Tac Airport pretty much changed the Genzale family life as the runway project swallowed up their land. Annie does not farm any longer. Her passion is her family and her church where you're likely to see her each Sunday in the fourth pew on the left where many significant family events have taken place over the years.

To Antoinette "Annie' Genzale, we salute your love of life and your loyalty to Burien and wish you many more birthdays in our fine community.