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In memory of

Evelyn Gwendolyn Swanson Peterson

Burien, WA

May 20, 1920 - June 18, 2018

May 20, 1920 - Jun 18, 2018

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Evelyn was born to John and Hulda Swanson on May 20, 1920 in Custer, WA....a small town located in NW Washington state, near the Canadian border. Her father had worked in the lumber industry for many years prior to purchasing the farm in Custer, which became Evelyn's birthplace and home. Evelyn was the eighth of nine children. Her mother was a loving, hard-working woman raising a growing family, from whom Evelyn learned the many lifelong skills needed to become a dedicated homemaker. As a child, Evelyn spent her days working on the farm and evenings swimming in the summer and ice skating on the pond down the street in the winter.

Evelyn attended Custer High School, where she excelled in her studies and delighted in playing sports. She played basketball during the winter months and softball in the spring, being a star pitcher and a valued outfielder. Along with twenty three other students, Evelyn proudly graduated in the Class of 1939.

Following high school, Evelyn remained in Custer to help her family on the farm until 1942. With the United States entering World War II, the job market in Seattle for women started to boom. She and a friend moved to Seattle, where they were hired by the Boeing Co. and lived at the YWCA. Evelyn was always proud of the fact that she was one of the original "Rosie the Riveters", those valuable women who were so vital to the war effort. While adjusting to life in the city and working, she met the one true love of her life, Vern Peterson. They were introduced by a mutual friend and started dating a year prior to their marriage in September 1943.

Remaining in Seattle, Evelyn continued to work at Boeing following the wedding and Vern became a machinist for Disston and Sons Saw Co., where he remained employed for his entire working career. In 1944, they purchased their first home in Burien, Washington. Soon after moving to Burien, they started a family. Evelyn left Boeing to become a wonderful homemaker raising their four sons, Ed, Gary, Dennis and Kenneth. She was so proud of her sons and loved staying home with them. Their activities, between baseball, school and sports kept her very busy. Her enthusiasm for baseball was evident when her boys hit the field and her husband was the coach. Her family continued to grow as she welcomed nine grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.

Vern retired from Disston and Sons Saw Company in 1981. This provided an opportunity for Evelyn and him to travel throughout the United States and even to Sweden. When they were home, they both enjoyed working in their garden, canning fruits and vegetables, taking part in their local bowling league and entertaining their ever-growing family. Evelyn was a wonderful cook and baker and spent many enjoyable hours in the kitchen. She often treated her family to her famous Swedish Pancakes on early Sunday mornings and sweet Christmas cookies around the holidays. After Vern passed in 1999, Evelyn kept up her family Burien home until 2013.

As the sun rose on June 18, 2018, Evelyn peacefully passed away. She was greeted in Heaven by the dear family and friends who had predeceased her.... and we who are left behind, lovingly celebrate her beautiful life and impressive journey.

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