Anna Marie Holdaas Mason
February 12, 1920 - February 11, 2006
Obituary
Anna Marie Holdaas Mason
Anna, being one of God’s most beautiful rays of sunshine, made her final journey February 11, 2006. She always had a smile on her face for everyone she met, whether she knew them or not. She ended her time here living at Cottesmore Life Center, getting to stay with her sister, just the way they were together for most of their lives. She would have been 86 years old February 12 and had been ill with Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.
Born February 12, 1920 at Carbury, North Dakota to Axel and Helga Holdaas, she was raised on the family farm where the Carbury Dam is now located. She graduated from high school in Carbury in 1938.
She left for Yakima, WA in the early 40’s with her older brother Mel and her sister Helen. She worked as a field laborer in various crop fields where she met her husband, Rueben Raab. They were married in 1943 in White Center, WA and had two daughters, Marilyn and Linda.
In the late 40’s, Anna moved back to her parents farm in North Dakota with her daughters and then once again, moved back to Seattle in 1953. She lived in South Seattle with her sister and daughters, working as a rivet bucker for the Boeing Company for many years.
In 1958 she moved to Burien and in 1960 she started working for the Burien Post Office finally retiring from there in 1980. She remarried in 1975 to a fellow co-worker, Glen Mason, who has since passed.
There were many large family gatherings where Anna and Helen did most of the cooking of absolutely wonderful dinners, never sitting down to eat until everyone else had almost finished. That great Norwegian upbringing.
She was especially loved by her sons-in-law, being that perfect mother-in-law. Anna loved traveling with her husband, and also her sister and her husband, making frequent trips to North Dakota and Reno among the favorites. There were also many weekends spent going to garage sales, also with her sister and husband.
She was member of Glendale Lutheran Church in Burien for about 40 years.
Surviving are two daughters, Marilyn Snyder and her husband Corry, Linda Gutenberg and her husband John, brothers Melvin Holdaas of Spokane, WA, Arthur Holdaas of Port Orchard, sister Helen Henne, living at Cottesmore in Gig Harbor, five grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
A funeral service was held at 11:00 AM on Friday, February 17, 2006 at Bonney-Watson Parker Chapel with Anna’s nephew, Rev. Peter Holdaas, officiating.
Please sign the online guest memorial book at www.bonneywatson.com.
To Anna’s family – She was a great lady – and warmly thought of by my parents, Herman and Tora Gorder. She and Helen were at my parent’s service in the late 1980s. Sorry that I was unable to attend her 2/17 service. Peace to all of you.
Anna was a sweet lady how made the best cookies. She loved her famalley and will be mist!
When Anna became my stepmother, I believed that I had been blessed with a Fairy Godmother. This woman was incredible. I never once heard her utter a negative word about anyone. We fell out of touch and when I drove up to Seattle to visit, everyone had moved. I’m not sure how this occurred, but I miss this family.