EUNICE LUCILLE SORESTAD

1928 - 2011

Eunice Lucille Sorestad, age 82, passed away on Monday, March 28, 2011 at her home in Sedro-Woolley with her family at her side. She was born on June 26, 1928 in Dickinson, North Dakota to William and Jessie (Hewson) Schmidt.

Eunice moved to Sedro-Woolley in 1934 and entered first grade at Central School. She graduated from Sedro-Woolley High School as Valedictorian in 1946. While in high school and following graduation, she was employed as a secretary for the USDA Soil Conservation Service and Skagit Steel & Iron Works.

She was married to Ken Sorestad on June 26, 1948 at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church where she was confirmed and a lifetime member. Eunice and Ken celebrated 62 years together. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a special open house in 1998 given by their three children.

While raising her family, Eunice worked as her husband's office manager for 33 years in his State Farm Insurance Office until his retirement in June of 1988. She also assisted her husband in managing their Firview Apartments in Sedro-Woolley.

Eunice enjoyed traveling, including many vacations to Hawaii especially one in 1998 that included 16 members of her family. She also enjoyed several cruises with her sister and brother-in-law, her sister-in-law and brother-in-law. Eunice had fond memories of two motor home trips to the East Coast, one via the northern route and other by the southern route with their good friends Gladys and George Miller. Her family and faith in God were her life. Every holiday and special occasion would find her family gathered together at places like Penticton BC, Ocean Shores, Leavenworth, and Harrison Hot Springs.

Eunice loved to sing throughout her life beginning in elementary school and throughout high school where she sang solo and continued after graduation to sing at many weddings and funerals. She especially enjoyed singing in the church choir and in quartets and duets with her family.

She was an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church where she served as a Sunday School Teacher, Sunday School Superintendent, Church Women's President, Luther League Advisor, Choir Member, and member of the Church Council. Eunice was a member of Gideon's International serving as Vice President for several years and she also was President of the Women's Auxiliary.

Eunice lived 76 of her 82 years of her life in Sedro-Woolley and she always considered it the best place in the world to live.

Eunice is survived by her husband, Ken Sorestad of the family home in Sedro-Woolley; her daughter and son-in-law, Cinde and Scott Wakeman of Sedro-Woolley, son and daughter-in-law, Keith and Cyndi Sorestad of Sedro-Woolley and daughter and son-in-law, Julie and Mark Anderson of Burlington; six grandchildren, Kristi Slette and her husband Tore, Lenny Warren, Mitchell Sorestad and his wife Courtney, Karridi Sorestad and her fiancé Brandon Mauer, Corey Meyers and Randilyn White and her husband Jesse; three great-grandchildren, Tana Miller-Warren, Kailer Slette and Toriana Slette; a sister, Alice Sackmann of Kenmore; sister-in-law, Ella Sorestad of Sedro-Woolley; brother-in-law, Roland Saethre of Pequot Lakes, MN and a sister-in-law, Bonita Small of Mount Vernon. Also numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Jessie Schmidt; a brother, Eldon Schmidt; brothers and sister-in-laws; Charles and Lorraine Peterson and Carlos and Gladys Gould; sister-in-law, Bernice Saethre, brothers-in-law, Adloph Sorestad and Richard Sackmann, and a nephew, Ronald Sackmann.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2011 at 3:00 PM at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Sedro-Woolley with Pastor Walt Rice officiating. A reception will follow the services at the church. Visitation is available from 9:00AM to 5:00PM at Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley on Thursday and Friday.

Memorials are suggested to Cancer Research, Mabel Lyons Bethlehem Lutheran Church Scholarship Fund, or Gideon's International.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Robert Raish, Dr. Bruce Mathey, Dr. Michael Erie, Dr. Dean Dietrich, United General Hospital, and Skagit Valley Hospital for the special care extended to Eunice.

Please share your memories of Eunice and sign the online guestbook at www.lemleychapel.com