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OBITUARY

GENEVIEVE M. AMUNDSON

September 27, 2012

Genevieve Margaret Amundson was born in Goldendale on Sept. 17, 1916 to Mary Alberta Parker Graham and James C. Hamilton, both from early 1850s Oregon Trail pioneer families. Her ancestors came to Goldendale in 1878. She died on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, at 95 years of age, almost 96.

Her early childhood took her to Dayton and Pendleton, Ore. and, in 1925, to Sunnyside, where her dad was district manager of Pacific Power and Light. It was in Sunnyside, where she finished grade school and high school before going to Washington State College (University) to major in English and becoming a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. Although she went to high school (class of 1934) with and lived within blocks of her future husband, Ray "Mike" Amundson (class of 1932), also at WSC, their first date was on New Year's Eve Dec. 31, 1934, followed by marriage on Oct. 2, 1938.

Genevieve and her young son Roger accompanied Mike during WWII to various Army training camps, starting with Camp Roberts, Calif. before Pearl Harbor, continuing through Texas, Oregon, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and back to Sunnyside.

It was between Oregon and Mississippi that Genevieve and Roger lived in Sunnyside with her parents for nine months while Mike was deployed in the Aleutian Islands, 1943-44. Following the war, they settled in Seattle, then Portland and Walla Walla before returning to Seattle in 1962 where she lived for fifty years. Mike died in 1988. Her second son, Steve, was born in Portland in 1948. She retired from Safeco Insurance in 1979 as an insurance policy rater.

Reading sometimes three or four books a week from the library and doing crossword puzzles were her hobby interests. She and Mike had a cabin on Whidbey Island where they spent 18 years of weekend and vacation relaxation.

Genevieve was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Fred Graham; and her husband.

She is survived by her two sons, Roger (Jean) of Kelso, Steve of Granite Falls; two granddaughters, Erica (Tony) Murczek of Portland and Sonja (John) Purtteman of Olympia; and great-grandson, Caden Purtteman.

Following services at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Longview, on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012 at 3 p.m. She will be laid to rest in Sunnyside next to her husband and parents.

Wiggins and Sons Funeral Home in Seattle is in charge of arrangements.