Norma Jean Sanders

Norma Jean Sanders, age 92, passed away November 9, 2018 in Kent. She was born March 23, 1926 in Malone, Washington to the late Earl and Bertha Cornett Seely. Norma was the librarian at Westwood Elementary School until her retirement in 1990. She also volunteered at the Fairfax Hospital in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina.

Above all else, Norma loved her family.  In to her 80s she would get down on the floor for the opportunity to play with her great grandchildren, or to pet the family dog or cat.

She also loved her mountain, Mount Rainier.

She enjoyed cooking and eating meals with friends and family.  As a family, we enjoyed her chocolate chip cookies, Swedish pancakes, Swedish meatballs, and her meatloaf just to name a few special treats.

Norma loved to square dance as much as possible, and she continued doing so into her 80s.

She also loved all her many friends.  Norma would make the time and would travel to be together with friends, especially with her oldest and dearest ones dating back to her youth at Aberdeen High School.  

Norma enjoyed a good walk, and she especially enjoyed traveling.  Whether by road, rail, or sea the destination really didn’t matter.  She didn’t enjoy flying so much, but she flew often in order to be with family from coast to coast.

In her youth she enjoyed camping.  One of her favorite camp grounds was Twanoh State Park on Hood Canal.  (Her children loved it too.)  However, we believe her love of camping declined sometime following a four-week camping, road trip up the Alaska/Canadian Highway to Alaska and back in 1959.

Other than the sport of digging razor clams on Washington beaches, Norma did not play many sports, but she always enjoyed watching her beloved Huskies or Seahawks play and especially when they won!  She also liked to watch her grandchildren’s sporting events whenever she could fit it into her busy schedule.

Norma was a faithful church participant.  Whether it be Methodist, Presbyterian, or Baptist she loved the gathering of the flock and the flock always loved her back.  She even taught some Sunday school.

Survivors include her loving children Richard (Jana) Carlson of Shelton, Kevin (Becky) Woodall of Kent; step-children Don (Lynne) Sanders, Gregg (Ruth) Sanders; grandchildren Chris (Monica) Adams, Meredith (Jay Irwin) Adams, Jeff (Heidi) Adams, Ben (Sarah) Carlson, Joshua (Carissa) Woodall, Cassie Woodall, Ashley Burton, John Ondras, Jordan Ondras, Laura (Dwayne) Sayre, Scott (Sacha) Sanders, Renee (Jason) Croger, Brian (Bethany) Sanders; great-grandchildren Aleah Adams, Devin Adams, Lorelai Adams, Nathan Adams, Payton Woodall, Isabel Adams, Finn Carlson, Emma Carlson, Callie Barquist, Allie Ondras, Braelynn Woodall, Troy Clegerget, and Addison Calixtro. Friends are invited to Graveside Services Saturday, November 17, 2018 at noon at Evergreen Memorial Park, Enumclaw, Washington. Services entrusted to Weeks Enumclaw Funeral Home, 1810 Wells Street, Enumclaw, Washington.

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