Carol Amundson
Carol Amundson, daughter of Iver and Christina Knutson, passed away peacefully of natural causes on the morning of Thursday, June 19th, at Merrill Gardens in Tukwila, where she resided. She was 96 years old.
Carol was born and raised in Ballard and spent most of her life in the Seattle area. She met her husband, Leland Amundson, at Pacific Lutheran College in Parkland, WA, where she was studying to be a teacher. They married on September 1st, 1951, and raised four children, Danny, Susan, David, and Christy. Carol eventually returned to college and earned her degree in Education from Seattle Pacific University, where she also received her teaching credentials. In 1966, the family moved to Great Falls, Montana, where she taught first grade. Following Lee’s career at Boeing, the family moved to Minot, ND, and then to Rapid City, SD, where she also taught.
Eventually, Carol and Lee returned to Seattle, where she worked at Boeing until they retired and moved to Port Ludlow, WA. There, Carol pursued her love of Norwegian needlecraft and began corresponding with her relatives in Norway. She and Lee visited twice and hosted their family when they came to visit. Exploring her family roots and heritage was a great source of pride and joy. As testament, she has asked that her ashes be returned to Norway; a request that the family will honor in the coming year.
Preceding her in death were her husband Lee, her daughters, Susan and Christy, and her much-loved granddaughter, Nicole. All three succumbed to cancer. A two-time survivor, Carol was deeply impacted by these tragic events. True to her stoic Scandinavian upbringing, she endured these chapters in her life with grace and dignity, but those of us who knew her well understood how deeply she felt the loss and how much she grieved for them.
Carol is survived by her two sons, Dan and David, and by her direct descendants: Kirsten Amundson (granddaughter), Dustin Harrison (grandson), Alissa Harrison (granddaughter), and their families. And by her extended family in Norway (Anita, Kari-Anne, and their families). And by her dear friends, Jean Kaldahl and Margaret Seed.
Carol will be missed, but never forgotten. Her ironic wit, keen intellect, inner strength, and humanity will remain with us always, as will her love of roads untraveled. She is our North Star and guides us even now, as we continue our life’s journey without her. We love you,
Mom.
Leave a Reply
Please be respectful. Disrespectful comments will not be published
When you have successfully submitted a comment, look in the space above to see your comment.
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
If you do not see your comment, click HERE
