Minta Sundean

Minta Emma (Williamson) Sundean, age 96 of Lynden, died peacefully at the Christian Health Care Center on Sunday, Dec. 16, of congestive heart failure after a long, active and independent life. She will be greatly missed by her family and many friends. Minta was born in 1911 in Custer, Washington, to Carl and Eva (Harlow) Hamlin and was raised on farms in Custer and Sunrise. After graduating from Custer High School in 1930, she studied nursing at Saint Joseph's Nursing School in Bellingham, graduating in 1933. She worked as a registered nurse for the Lynden Clinic with Doctors Marion LeCocq and Van Gorder from 1934 to 1937, an era when doctors made house calls, delivered babies at home and performed surgeries in their offices. In 1936, she married Harold B. Williamson, a store manager who served for many year on the Lynden City Council and later the Port of Bellingham Commission. They had two sons, Lee and Ken Williamson, and Minta served as Cub Scout Den Mother for the troops of both sons. Following Harold's death in 1962, Minta was appointed and then elected as Lynden City Treasurer and served in that position from 1964 to 1975. Minta remarried, to Woodrow W. (Pete) Sundean in 1974, and both retired in 1975, traveling and spending time in Arizona, and was again widowed when Pete passed away in 1995. Minta lived in her own house on Van Loo Lane in Lynden for forty years until 2006, when she moved to the Meadow Greens retirement community. She was a lifelong member of the Lynden United Methodist Church, and an active member of Lynden Chapter EA, P.E.O. She is survived by her sons Lee Williamson (Peggy Williams), of Seattle, and Ken (Ranee) Williamson, of Naches, Washington, and three grandchildren, Brad (Eyvonne) Williamson, of Birch Bay; Amy (Dave) Seaman, of Benton City, Washington; and David (Amanda) Williamson, of Naches; as well as four great grandchildren, Scott Williamson, of Bellingham; Travis (Amy) Williamson, of Jerome, Idaho, and Ellie and Ben Seaman, of Benton City. Minta's nieces and nephews are Betty (Jack) Vander Hoek, of Bow, Washington, Bill (Cheryl) Read, of Coupeville, Judy (Ed) Massine, of Beaverton, Oregon, Susan (Milo) Pitkin, of Snohomish, and Jim Williamson, of Shoreline, Washington. Visitation hours will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 20, at Gillies Funeral Home in Lynden. Private graveside services will be held at Enterprise Cemetery, Ferndale, followed by a Memorial Service at Lynden United Methodist Church on North 14th Street, Lynden, on Friday, December 21, at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to either Lynden United Methodist Church, 500 North 14th St., Lynden, WA. 98264 or Whatcom Hospice Foundation, 800 East Chestnut Street, Bellingham, WA. 98225. You are invited to share your memories of Minta by signing the online guest book at www.gilliesfuneralhome.com. Services are under the care of

Gillies Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Lynden