Obituaries

Constance, 79, died peacefully on May 20, 2018. She was a resident of Des Moines, WA for over 50 years. She worked for Seattle First and Bank of America for 25 years. She was the friendly face who greeted you at the Des Moines branch. Before that she managed Greenacres Learning Center.

She spent her spare time knitting, quilting, antiquing. She loved spending time at the beach. And rumor has it she played a mean penny on the slot machines at the local casino.

Marguerite Johnson, known to friends as “Peggy,” passed away peacefully on May 12, 2018, at the age of 88.

Born on July 7, 1929 in Newton, Iowa to parents Henry and Marjorie Smith, Peggy moved with her family to Washington as a teenager. She married her high school sweetheart, Jack Johnson and raised two children, Christie and Gary. Peggy enjoyed cooking, travelling, entertaining and vacationing in Hawaii with friends and family.   

Elaine Joann Edwards, age 82, went to be with her Lord and Savior on May 19, 2018 at Swedish Hospital. She was born on July 15, 1935 in Badger, Minnesota, the daughter of Hilmer and Malla Jensen. Elaine graduated with honors from West Seattle High School in June 1952 and went on to Seattle Pacific College where she graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Education in June 1956. She married William Edwards and together, they enjoyed 62 years of wedded bliss. Teaching was Elaine’s passion! For more than 25 years she led the Primary Sunday School Department of The Berean Bible Church.

It might sound nice to say mom passed away quietly in the presence of her family, but quiet is not something one experiences when the Daigle clan is together. All seven kids, grandkids, in-laws and probably a few curiosity seekers crowded into the small room to say our goodbyes. One by one we toasted her with Bailey's (her favorite) and whiskey, talked with her about the old times and made so much noise that we feared we might get kicked out. Brother-in-law Bill calls it the “Daigle Vortex.”

Erma Martin Couden, an exemplar of love, peace and other Christian values, the matriarch of an extensive family, a former public-school teacher and librarian and a longtime activist in church and civic affairs, died May 24, 2018, at Horizon House in Seattle. She was 103.

In addition to her own accomplishments, Erma also devoted herself, with her husband, Elliott Noble Couden, to family matters and to the advocacy of civil rights and local heritage preservation, all grounded in the pursuit of caring human connections.

Judith Ann Buls (Christoffersen) passed away May 15, 2018 after a long illness and is finally at a peaceful rest. Judy was born on December 3, 1940 in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho to Arne and Mary Lou Christoffersen, who have preceded her in death. Judy is survived by her daughter Marni Walter of Billings, MT, her brother Jon (Joan) Christoffersen, of Seattle, two grandchildren Jessika Furr of San Diego, CA and Alexander Walter of Fort Bliss, TX, and two great-grandchildren Maegann Lowe (9) and Scyondrei Williams (18mo), also several nieces and nephews.

Olive Wise Spannaus--child of God, friend, mentor, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, community volunteer, human rights activist, women's movement pioneer, longtime member of Hope Lutheran Church in West Seattle, recipient of the Carrie Chapman Catt award of the League of Women Voters Seattle-King County, hymn writer, leader in the Lutheran church, and line dancer (beginning at age 80)--died peacefully May 10, at her home for the past five years, Providence Mount Saint Vincent, in West Seattle.

Beloved wife, sister, mother, grand- mother, friend passed away on May 10, 2018.

A service will be held at 2 pm, Friday, May 18th at Highline Christian Church at 14859 1st Avenue South, Burien, WA