Carolyn Lee Tanagi
November 3, 1951 - January 16, 2011
Obituary
Carolyn Lee Tanagi was born on November 3rd, 1951 to Roy and Mariko Tanagi, with Frank and Mary Yokoyama as her godparents. She was the second of three girls, attending Brighton Elementary School, Sharples Jr. High School and Franklin High School, where she graduated in 1970.
She grew up taking piano and dance lessons and going to Brownie and Girl Scout meetings and camp. Many more summer weekends were spent camping with family either in Washington or Oregon. Every 5 years the family took car trips to California to visit friends and relatives and of course, to go to Disneyland.
Between her junior and senior years at Franklin, Carolyn had the opportunity to travel to the British Isles with the Bel Canto Choir. The director, Mr. Richard Kohler was contacted for permission for use of one of the songs used in the video you saw earlier and he still remembered her. With the choir, Carolyn spent one month singing and traveling through Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Wales and England. Thanks to her Auntie Fumi and Uncle Herbie Iseri, she was also able to add another month with other choir members touring the ‘continent’ including France, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands, finishing up in England again. This trip shaped her many loves throughout her life. She was always interested in traveling, geography and world history.
After attending Western Washington State College for one year, Carolyn graduated in 1975 from the University of Washington with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Mathematics. Every college break involved a trip, many of them to California to visit friends attending schools there.
In 1977 Carolyn’s father passed away from a heart attack, leaving her mother to raise the 3 girls. When Carolyn looked for a job after college, her mother gave her what ended out being great advice. ‘Work for the government.’ At the time her mom worked for the City, however, Carolyn got a job with the federal government and eventually ended up in the Bonneville Power Administration, a self-funding agency that wasn’t under the whimsy of politics like most agencies. The people at BPA treated her well and made sure she advanced whether she asked for it or not. It ended out she worked with many of the people for almost 30 years and made some very good friends along the way. And since she was paid well and given plenty of leave, she was able to do the thing she loved most, travel.
Besides the early family and school trips and the trip to Europe with the choir, she had plenty of opportunities to travel. She went to Australia and New Zealand with her good traveling buddy, Barb Crumrine. In addition to many trips around Washington and Oregon they also went to Paris, California, Texas, Utah and Hawaii together.
Carolyn went cruising with friends to Catalina Island, with Julie’s family to the Western Caribbean, with her mom to the Mexican Riviera and with all the whole family to Alaska.
Carolyn and her mother went to England and later to Japan. They also attended one of the Heart Mt. reunions and took side trips which included Yellowstone National Park, the Heart Mt. Relocation Camp, Cody, Wyoming, Bryce Canyon, Mt Zion National Park and Las Vegas. She and Shelley went to Washington D.C. and New York City and this past September she went with Julie, Jason, Shelley and Markie to Boston and New York City. And oh yes, there were many other trips to Reno, Lake Tahoe and Las Vegas over the years as well as countless other trips with her friends.
Altogether Carolyn made 5 trips to Europe. The last trip was right after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the summer of 2006.
From the beginning Carolyn loved going to plays and sporting events. For many years she held season tickets to the Seahawks with her mom, the Sounders NASL with Nancy Tani, and she went to many Mariner games and even the new MSL Sounders FC with Helen Sing. She and Helen also subscribed to the Fifth Avenue Theater and the Paramount Theatre and were season ticket holders at the Moore Theater which hosted many different types of shows and performers.
Every quarter she would be at the birthday lunch for ‘The Girls’ and would often have brunch with her high school and college friends, also known as ‘The Girls.’ She bowled for 25 years in the Ivy League and the Stardusters League. And she golfed with the Cascade and H & H golf clubs.
In September 2010, her mother passed away after a short battle with lung cancer and Carolyn felt the loss dearly.
In December 2010 Carolyn retired with 34 years of Federal Government Service so that she could continue to fight her cancer. If you know Carolyn, you know she was a packrat. It took her several weeks to empty her cubicle of her bunnies, maneki nekkos, pins and her magnets.
Carolyn fought a long 4 ½ years trying to beat the cancer, never giving up her fight. She passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 16, 2011 with family by her side. She is survived by her sisters and their spouses: Christine and Jeffrey Yada and Julie and David Lock and their children: Jason and Shelley Yada and Markie and James Lock, and a wide circle of friends and family.
Dear Jeff, Chris…my thoughts are with you and your family during this stressful time losing Carolyn. It’s comforting to know she passed on peacefully and surely will be missed.
Take Care, Lai-Ping
Julie,Chris & Family,
Carolyn will be missed for her smile and her ability to put things into perspective. She was able to capture events through her camera. Pictures bring back so many stories. These memories will help us remember Carolyn for the difference she made in our lives. Our prayers and thoughts are with you. Peace and Love, Sid & Janet