Elna Iversen (Pike)

Elna Iversen (Pike), deceased Aug. 26, 2011, will be forever cherished for her spiritual stature, her endless pioneer spirit and the enormous contributions of her time and efforts in multiple communities for education, community service, and for the advocacy and mentoring of women in professional settings.

Born June 15, 1923, in Presque Isle, Maine, the eldest of four, Elna came to Northwest Washington as a young bride. Here, literally poised on the edge of Puget Sound, she made her home and raised her family of four children. Elna was one of the founding members of the Oak Harbor Christian Science Church. Professionally, she worked in banking management for 26 years. She was the first service and sales manager in the nation inside a bank to train and run a staff, changing an order-taking environment to one of sales, of investment products, and generating fee-income. She set up investment programs from coast to coast. She received a B.A. in women’s studies from Goddard College in 1980, and was owner and founder of EmpowerNet, Inc., a counseling and referral service for women, a network marketing business and an e-business.

Her civic contributions include: Serving on Washington State governor-appointed committees for planning, land-use and education at state and county levels; presentation of lectures, classes, workshops and seminars for women for professional and civic organizations; 14 years serving on the Oak Harbor School Board; Skagit Valley College Foundation Board of Directors; Skagit Valley College Board of Trustees; charter member Soroptimist International of Oak Harbor; United Way North Whidbey campaign director and North Whidbey Chamber of Commerce president. Elna was also recipient of Business & Professional Women’s Woman of Achievement Award, Woman of Distinction Award given by Soroptimist International, Distinguished Service Award, by Skagit Valley College and inducted into the Skagit Valley College Hall of Fame. She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award from the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce in 2009.

Elna is survived by her four children: Robert (Chips) Pike, Jr. and his wife Di-Anna; Kenneth (Ken) Pike and his wife Diane; Stephen (Steve) Pike and his wife Debra; and Andrea Pike and her husband Franklin Eventoff. She has 13 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson.

At her request, no formal memorial services will be held. However, remembrances may be expressed at: elnaslifeoflove.blogspot.com or by mail to: The Pikes, 4960 Jones Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277.