Antoinette “Ann” Marie (VandenBerg) Gustafson

Antoinette Gustafson

 

On September 22, 2012 at age 90 Antoinette passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family. She was born on July 13, 1922 at home to Leonardus and Margretha, she joined her sisters Adriana and Mary and brothers Francis and Leo, all who preceded her in death.

Antoinette lived almost her entire life in the same south Seattle neighborhood. She spent the last 57 years in the same home building friendships, watching neighbors come and go and the changing times. She remembered catching the nickel trolley and walking up the Lucille Street wooden bridge to attend St George’s Grade School and Cleveland High School. She remembered during the war when Boeing Plant 2 was camouflaged to look like a city and the Smith Tower was the tallest building in Seattle until the Space Needle was built in 1962.

Throughout her life Ann worked a number of jobs. She worked at the Pike Place Market, five and dime store, envelope company, candy factory, Boeing, and The Bon Marche. When she wasn’t working she was volunteering countless hours at Our Lady of Lourdes or St George Parish – from bake sales, to bazaars, to bingo, to serving as a chairperson to coordinating senior trips to everything and anything in-between.

She taught all of her children the importance of hard work, ethics, compassion, respect and honor. These were among the many traits she believed in and lived.

Along with her siblings, Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Frank, of 37 years whom she married in August 1955 and daughter Roberta. She is survived by six children: Patricia “Pat”, Ruby, Robert “Pete” (Susan), Barbara (Larry), Peggy (Jerry) and Judy (Jim), fourteen grandchildren, twenty-two great-grandchildren with one more on the way and two great-great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and many others who referred to her as “Grandma Ann” and many friends.

No time on earth is ever long enough to share the love with those we care about or to prepare us for when you are no longer here are on earth. We will love you forever and miss you but appreciate all you did for all us throughout our lives. We know there is one more angel in heaven watching over each of us.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her honor to St George Parish – 5306 13th Ave South, Seattle, WA 98108 or St George School Scholarship Endowment – 5117 13th Ave South, Seattle, WA 98108, or your favorite charity.

Funeral Mass is Wednesday, October 10, at 10:00 am St George Catholic Church – 5306 13th Ave South, Seattle, WA 98108 followed by a gathering. Internment will follow at 3:00 pm Mt Tahoma National Cemetery – 18600 Southeast 240th Street, Kent, WA 98042- 4868.