Delphine G. McDade

About

Highline High School

Delphine McDade Obituary

Delphine G. McDADE Delphine Gwendolyn McDade was born on January 31, 1913 in Klamath Falls, Oregon, the daughter of Algia Florer and Agnes Rogers Graham. She was the youngest of five children. In 1937 Delphine married Edwin Elliott McDade in Longview, Washington. During WWII she and Edwin served as aircraft communicators for the CAA in Kenai, Alaska. After the war the McDades lived briefly in Baker, Oregon, then Walla Walla, WA, and subsequently moved to Seahurst, WA, where they lived until 2006. Delphine had a lifelong love affair with dance, which she studied from the time she was a young girl through her many years of teaching. After moving to Seattle in 1949 she opened the Seahurst Ballet School, which she operated until the mid-1980s. Her Seahurst Ballet Company was a member of Northwest Regional Ballet Association and her annual story ballets were performed at Highline High School for many years. Her story is best told by her former students: "Her ballet studio was a fabulous place, full of energy and beautiful people who loved Delphine for what she taught them, and for the way she did it. She worked her students hard, but with incredible patience, determination and love for her art. Anyone who ever took a class from her knew she loved her work and her students, and was driven to give them her very best." "She influenced me in so many ways. She taught me to be disciplined, to work harder than I thought I could or wanted to, to believe that it was all possible. I remember her laugh, and I also remember never wanting to tick her off. Boy, did we know when she was not happy with us. She had high expectations and that was a good thing." "She contributed immensely to my life. I am in part who I am today because of her love and dedication to all of her dancers. She contributed greatly to my confidence in myself." She was a member of the 10th Church of Christ, Scientist in Burien, where she taught Sunday School. Delphine was preceded in death by her husband Edwin and son Graham Edwin McDade. She is survived by her sister Elizabeth Milligan of Des Moines, WA; sons and daughters-in-law Scott and Fran McDade of La Conner, and Sandy and Christine McDade of Seattle; daughter-in-law Bonnie McDade of Spokane; and six grandchildren. Memorials may be sent to Skagit Hospice: 214 S. 12th Street, Mount Vernon, WA 98273.

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Published by The Seattle Times from Mar. 8 to Mar. 9, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
for Delphine McDade

4 Entries

Pam Dickinson

March 20, 2024

I started taking lessons when I was two years-old and continued until I was about 12. To this day her encouragement to me,"Never say you can't, always say you'll try," when I was very young, has stayed with me as an enduring life's mantra. My mother loved her, too, and she helped with the costumes. I am now 70 years old and I'm grateful to have had Ms. McDade's strong and encouraging presence in my life all those years.

Tasha Hicks

May 2, 2022

Mrs. McDade was my ballet teacher and I still hear her voice in my head telling me how to stand almost every day. What a lady.

Anni Leedy

March 21, 2009

to all the McDade Clan, please accept my deepest condolences. How I remember 'Mrs. McDade'! I was one of her young ballet students, and learned to love dance because of her. How I loved being a lobster (or was it a crab?) costumed all in red with big claws and toeshoes! Ah showbiz! What a wonderful teacher she was, and my first experience of a 'tough lady'. She taught me so much about art and discipline. Indeed she was a blessing to us all. Thank you, Mrs. McDade!

Karen Tyree

March 10, 2009

All three of our children (Elizabeth, Geoffrey, and James) took ballet lessons from "Mrs McDade" and what a good challenging experience that was for all three of them. Delphine was a strict but excellent instuctor, who not only taught ballet but also taught self respect and artistic discipline.

Our sincere sympathy to the family, and heartfelt thanks to a gracious lady who instructed and shared her talents with hundreds of children in our community. She was a blessing in our lives.