Dora/Mom succumbed to her battle with cancer on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015. Mom’s life was divided into four chapters:
- Mom was born in Seattle on Nov. 2, 1941, and grew up in the Methow Valley. “You can take the girl out of the valley, but you cannot take the valley out of the girl.” Everything mom did in her life revolved around what she learned and experienced while growing up in the Methow Valley. She cooked from scratch, canned fruits and vegetables, sewed most of her clothes, quilted and crafted, and always had cookies in the freezer for kids and grandkids. Mom is survived by her sister Georgetta (Gary) of Vancouver, Washington, and her brother Joseph of Winthrop.
- After high school, she moved to Seattle, where she met her first husband, Norman Keith Darling (March 1942-March 1992). They lived in various cities in western Washington: Ballard, Bothell and Bremerton. Summers and hunting season were spent in the Methow Valley visiting with family and participating in various outdoor activities. Together they had two children, Bryan (Paula) of Spokane, and Kevin (Darcalyn) of Alexandria, Virginia; and two grandchildren, Keith and Mikayla.
- In 1994, mom married Paul James “Jim” Pedersen (October 1936-July 2010). They lived in Woodinville, Wenatchee, and Seattle. Jim had three children: Lee, Scott (Erin) of Seattle, and Traci of Lake Stevens, Washington. While married to Jim, mom picked up a new hobby: traveling. They traveled to Europe, Mexico, and enjoyed a cruise to Alaska. Jim had four grandchildren, who became a part of mom’s family as well.
- In 2013, mom moved to Woodburn, Oregon, where she concluded her story. It did not take long for her to find a group of friends and neighbors who rounded out her life. She created a warm and stylish home in which she hosted many dinners and parties. She celebrated every holiday with many handmade decorations, as well as delicious food and drinks.
Throughout life, mom had many friends that she touched and who touched her, and even though she grew away from some of them as she moved on to other chapters in her life, all of her friends were never very far from her thoughts.
There will be a family graveside service at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Gentiva Hospice: www.gentivahospicefoundation.org.
