Anna Margaret Foss
November 3, 1926 - December 7, 2007
Obituary
Anna Margaret Foss, age 81, of Snohomish, WA, passed away Friday, December 7, 2007, at her daughter’s home in Clearview, WA.
She was the first generation born in America to Swedish immigrants Ida and Pedar Smedberg, who were early pioneers of the Ballard area on November 3, 1926.
Margaret started Loyal Heights Elementary School speaking only Swedish and was expected to keep up with her lessons without any help – her mother neither understood nor spoke English at that time – and she did!
A proud graduate of Ballard High School, she enjoyed swing music, jitterbugging and USO parties. Margaret’s aunt owned a ski lodge at Lake Louise and many happy times were spent there skiing.
Sometime after graduation a boyfriend of her older sister’s arrived at the family home on a motorcycle accompanied by a tall skinny Norwegian boy on his motorcycle, This fellow took one look at Margaret and said, ‘hop on’. She did.
The fellow turned out to be Ove ‘Bud’ Foss, who had grown up two blocks away from Margaret, but attended different schools so they had never before crossed paths. This pairing resulted in a 50 year marriage which produced three children and four grandchildren.
Bud was in the commercial fishing industry and during the early years of their marriage Margaret summered in Southeastern Alaska serving as the bookkeeper for their fish cannery.
After their children arrived, they left Ballard in the early 1960’s and built a home on the East side of Clearview Hill. Shortly after settling in Snohomish the family joined Maltby Congregational Church.
As an adult Margaret completed an Associate of Arts Degree in Business at Everett Community College, and then went on to manage an income tax office for 24 years.
Margaret and Bud both took early retirements to spend time with their grandchildren and travel, unfortunately Bud came to an untimely death in 1992. Shortly after this Margaret’s younger brother Gustav Smedberg also passed away.
Margaret will be best remembered for her kind and tender nature, sparkling blue eyes and love for her children. Her soft hands were always ready to help anyone in need and truly were an instrument of the Lord,
Survivors include her three children, Christian, Carol Ann, and Andrew; and four grandchildren, Nathan Foss and Rachel Foss, of Stanwood, WA Christian, Oscar Alden, of Snohomish Carol and Makayla Foss, of Snohomish Andrew; older sister, Elsie Follman, of Ballard.
Memorial service will be at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, December 15, 2007, at Maltby Congregation Church; reception immediately following. The Rev. Ken Collins officiating.
Burial Evergreen Washelli Cemetery, Pacific Lutheran Section, arrangements by Wiggins and Sons.