Virginia Ione Anderson passed away at Island Hospital, Anacortes, on Nov. 23, 2010, at the age of 95. She was born in Seattle on Dec. 5, 1914, to Edwin and Mary (Howell) Moy. Virginia was reared in Edmonds but spent most of her summer months on Decatur Island with her grandparents, two aunts, Helen Howell and Alma Stewart, and her uncle “Bill” Howell. During her visits to the island, she met Eldon Hanley Anderson, who was working on Con Troxel’s fish traps off of Decatur Island. They fell in love immediately and were married in Edmonds on Aug. 29, 1936.
Virginia and Eldon began their married life during the Great Depression. Later, Eldon went to work on construction of the Deception Pass Bridge as a steam shovel operator. While working here, they built a one-room cabin on Jones Road.
Jobs were scarce, but Eldon found work on a bridge in Wauna, in south Puget Sound. Eldon’s next bridge job took them to Conway where money was still very tight. There they lived in the back of the Duck Inn Tavern. The train tracks were so close Virginia could go out and wave to her father who was U.S. postal clerk on the railroad. Ultimately, Virginia could not stand the boom-and-bust nature of the construction industry, so, during World War II, the family moved to Shorewood where Eldon was hired by Boeing and was soon promoted to shop foreman in the metal stamping shop. While working at Boeing, Eldon also became a real estate broker and they began investing in real estate. Virginia and Eldon began their family and would raise four children, Marilyn, Janice, Karen and Eric. During this time, they built two homes out of huge river rock by hand.
Together, Eldon and Virginia opened one of the first automated car washes in the country, let alone Seattle; they called it the Five Minute Car Wash located on Fourth Avenue South. Later Eldon, with brothers Archie and Dean as partners, built what was to become the Pink Elephant with nine locations in three states.
In 1960, the semi-retired Andersons bought property at Solana Beach, Calif., near San Diego for winter getaways. In 1968, they sold and moved to the Salton Sea area east of San Diego. While there, they welcomed countless friends and family from Whidbey Island to enjoy the warm artesian springs. Virginia and Eldon would spend their summers on Whidbey and winters at the Salton Sea. Eventually, they sold the Salton Sea property and moved to Palm Desert. They left California and Oak Harbor was their permanent home. Eldon passed away in 1999.
Now about the spirit of this incredible woman, Virginia. She was notoriously energetic and worked tirelessly throughout her life. Virginia loved making friends. Always more interested in other people than in herself, she went out of her way to get to know people wherever she went. She would learn your name, your wife’s name, your children’s names, their ages and what they were all up to. The next time she saw you, she would ask specifically how everyone was doing and remember in detail what you told her last time. Given half a chance, she would find out your birthday and send you a card every year. Her calendar was just chock-full of birthdays and anniversaries. But, try to ask her about herself —- good luck with that. She would always find a way to turn the conversation back to you and fill in the blanks.
Virginia was known to be a very sensible person with an agile mind. She had a positive attitude and encouraged people to improve themselves. She did this by setting a good example. She was incredibly stoic and never ever wanted to be “fussed over.” Although she had many major health challenges throughout her later life, she never let them get her down and miraculously fought her way through each of them. She indeed was an inspiration to her family. She enjoyed thrift stores, shopping and collecting, and she loved to share her “found treasures” with her family.
In her younger years, she went hunting with Eldon and bagged a deer. She loved fishing and hooked and landed a sturgeon on a river rafting trip down the Rogue River. Virginia’s love of travel probably started with a Nash and travel trailer, driving to Ensenada, Mexico, for Christmas. When the kids were grown, she and Eldon traveled to England, Ireland, China, Peru, Costa Rica, Brazil, Tibet, Alaska, Tahiti, Fiji, Mexico, India, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Kenya, and now, without question, to heaven to be with Eldon and “Janny.”
Throughout her life, family, both immediate and extended, was clearly the most important thing to her. Family picnics were a must-attend event. Her grandkids named her “Cookie Gram” because of the wonderful molasses cookies she would make and always have ready for their visit.
Virginia “Gin” is survived by three children and their spouses, Marilyn Annette Fromme and husband Rich, of Oak Harbor, Dr. Eric Eldon Anderson and wife Mary of Oak Harbor, and Karen Eileen and husband Les Dey of Vallejo, Calif.; her only sister, Helen Sullivan of Kent; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by Eldon and her daughter Janice.
Her family is grateful for all the wonderful care given by Marilyn Kerner and the caregivers of Island Home Nursing: Maria, Jackie, Heather and Jenny. These folks were wonderful and allowed her to stay in her home and go “gallivanting” to thrift stores and other shops.
A private interment will be held at Maple Leaf Cemetery, Oak Harbor. Please join us immediately afterwards for a celebration of Virginia’s life at Living Word Church in Oak Harbor at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15.
Donations may be made in lieu of flowers to the Myositis Association, Attn: Development Department,1737 King St., Suite 600, Alexandria, VA 22314. Arrangements have been entrusted to Wallin Funeral Home & Cremation, Oak Harbor.
