Gladyce Ellen Erickstad Moilanen
July 12, 1923 - December 14, 2004
Obituary
GLADYCE ELLEN ERICKSTAD MOILANEN
July 12, 1923 – December 14, 2004
Gladyce Ellen Erickstad was born on July 12, 1923 in Sullivan Township, Ramsey County, North Dakota. She was the fourth of nine children born to Moses Samuel Erickstad 11/21/1888 – 7/28/1970 and wedding: 1/20/1917 Charlotte Garske Erickstad 4/2/1896 – 4/11/1978. They were wheat farmers in the Starkweather-Garske area. With a large family, Gladyce helped out with the chores and cooking for the farm hands who came to harvest the wheat. It was said that she was “farmed out” to the families of relatives and neighbors who also needed help with chores. Gladyce graduated from Webster High School in 1941. She attended college classes at Fargo, North Dakota, studying home economics.
Gladyce and a friend came west to Seattle to work at The Boeing Company in 1942. Because she was petite, Gladyce riveted in the nose section of B29 Bombers. She lived with Melvin Moilanen and his family who were also from North Dakota when she first arrived in Seattle. She met Selvin nicknamed Shorty Fred Moilanen 1/11/1921-8/26/1966 at Melvin’s home and later married him. After Gladyce and “Shorty” were married. They eventually bought a house on Beacon Hill.
Their first daughter Sharon Gail Moilanen was born on June 5, 1945 in Seattle, Washington. In 1947, the family moved to the suburbs of Seattle, which is now known as SeaTac. Their second daughter Renae Marie Moilanen was born on December 22, 1950. Craig Selvin Moilanen was born on September 6, 1952. The family attended Riverton Heights Lutheran Church. The family did many activities and holiday gatherings with Gladyce’s sister Vi and her husband Jim and their children. They enjoyed camping and many trips to Portland, Oregon where Selvin’s family members played musical instruments and jammed and had weekend parties. They enjoyed playing Bridge and Pinochle. Gladyce and Selvin worked together to remodel their home. Gladyce was a mother who encouraged her children’s’ educations and often helped them learn math and other homework subjects.
Sharon graduated from Mt. Rainier HS in 1963 and attended Washington State University. She married 7/4/1966 James Fox from Louisiana and together they had a daughter Nikol Renae Fox 10/2/1970, who graduated from Central Washington University in 1998. Nikol now works as a parole officer for the Department of Corrections. In 6/28/1986 1986, Sharon married Stephen Douglas Collins 8/2/1946. Sharon is retired from The Boeing Company and Steve works for Mayes Testing Engineers. His daughter Shannon Collins 3/30/1977 became a member of the family and thought of “GG” as her own grandmother. Shannon graduated from Central Washington University.
Renae graduated from Tyee HS in 1969 and attended Highline Community College. She married 12/1/1973 Bruce Murell Thompson 5/11/1951. Their daughter Naomi Marie Thompson was born on March 25, 1977. She attended Western Washington State University, graduating with a teacher’s degree. In 06/24 2000, she married Jeremiah Andrew Conner. Jeremiah works independently selling real estate, and Naomi taught third grade until her newborn daughter, Makenna, arrived. Joel Scott Thompson was born on April 2, 1979. He graduated from Washington State University, and works as an electrical engineer for civil contractor NAVSEA. Bruce, now retired, taught middle school in Chehalis, and Renae is a bank manager for Key Bank.
Craig graduated from Tyee HS in 1970 and attended Highline Community College. His whereabouts are unknown.
With the arrival of her grandchildren, Gladyce became known as “GG”, which stands for Grandma Gladyce. The grandchildren remember many little things about their grandmother such as stories about her driving. Even though she had passed her driving education in 1940, she did not get her first driver’s license until after her husband passed away. There were some comments about her driving without a license.
“Shorty” worked at Boeing for over 25 years as a tool and die parts supervisor. In 1966, he died suddenly at the age of 45. Soon after, Gladyce went to work for the Seattle Public Library. At 71 years old, Gladyce retired from the Seattle Library System. She decided she wasn’t about to learn the new computer systems. GG had worked at many of their branch locations. She was an avid reader and enjoyed her work in the library system.
GG loved to go shopping with her sister Vi, daughters, and granddaughters. It was a “sport” for her. She loved to buy shoes, purses, and coats. Sometimes they remained in the bags from the store and were returned on the next shopping adventure when she would buy something else.
During the past 6 years, Gladyce has had a number of health concerns. There were problems with osteoporosis, and she suffered several compressions in her spine. After the selling of her home in SeaTac, she lived with Renae and family in Chehalis, until she purchased another home in Olympia. Selling her home in Olympia, Gladyce returned to the Seattle area and lived with her daughter Sharon and Steve until she moved into senior housing in Kent.
Two years ago, she recovered from an aorta abdominal aneurism and major surgery. She became well enough to continue her shopping adventures. Then last June, she fell and broke bones in her back again. She returned to stay with Sharon and Steve. Continuing health problems led to a number of trips to the hospital. The family cared for her at home. Her daughters and her grandchildren were with her. There were times when Gladyce cried out for help from God. The prayers of her family brought comfort to her.
On August 11, 2004, her first great-grandchild, Makenna Renae Conner, was born in Bellingham. There was great joy when Jeremiah and Naomi brought the new baby to visit with “GG.”
Hospice cared for her during the last days. Gladyce died at home in the early afternoon of Tuesday, December 14, 2004.
Gladyce’s family was everything to her, beginning with her sisters and brothers, her three children, her four grandchildren, and recently, her great-grand daughter Makenna.
We celebrate her life and accompany her this day to her final resting place beside Selvin her beloved husband.
Prepared by Pastor Paul Kuhn, December 20, 2004
It’s me again. Just wanted you to know, I miss you everyday and I hope you know that. You would have loved being a great grandmother and we miss not having you with us. Watch down on us. We love you this much. Renae
Miss you mom. With all my love, Renae
Hi GG,
I think about you everyday still and miss you so much. I am getting married in September and I know you will be there with us.
Love your first Granddaughter, Nikol
I loved aunt Gladyce. May God Bless her in heaven.
Mom: it’s been 13 years today and I miss you.
Hi mom: We have to bury Aunt Vi this week and she too will be missed by all of us. I know you are with us everyday. We will miss you and Aunt Vi.
Gladyce was one of the sharpest and most kind with people at the library. She is missed even to this day as others at the library had passed on too. It was a privilege to know her and her stories.
We lost you 17 years ago to the date…and there still isn’t a day that goes by I don’t think of you and miss you dearly. Since we lost you around the holidays, I have so many wonderful memories of you at Christmas especially your wonderful apple pie. I have tried to make it and don’t even come close! That was just one of your hundreds of super powers!
We lost Aunt Vi earlier this year and we miss her dearly but we know you two are back together, watching over all of us and having a good time.
I want to say thank you for being my guardian Angel GG. I know you have been there for me at so many different times. I thank God everyday for you and I am so blessed to have you as my Grandmother and I love you so much. We miss you GG.
Hi GG. I missed you on the holidays this year as I do every year even after 22 years. I still think of you everyday and I kiss my picture of you and grandpa everyday. There are days I cry because I miss you so much. You have always been the only one who understands me and the only one who gets me. You never made me feel like an outsider and you always made sure I felt loved and wanted. You even went to bat with me with my other side “so called” family. You fought for me and I will never be able to explain how grateful and blessed I am to have you as my grandmother and my hero. I miss being so close to you and I miss hearing your voice.
I know you are with me and I still have dreams with you, which makes me so happy. It’s just not the same having you here in person. I pray you are at peace and are enjoying time with grandpa and one day I will get to hug you both. You will always mean the world to me and I will always cherish the close relationship we have. I know you have been watching over me and helped me several times, just like you always did. Thank you for that. Thank you for always being there and loving me unconditionally and with no judgment. I miss you and love you.
Hi GG. Just stopping by to say I love you. Thinking of you as always. Miss you dearly. ❤️ You will always be my hero. 😇
Happy birthday mom. Miss you!
Happy Birthday GG. Miss you so much. Love you.
GG, I miss you and I think of you and Grandpa everyday. Thank you for being my angel and keeping an eye on me. I love you. ❤️😘
Happy Holidays gg, my gem. We know you are here in spirit and are our guardian angel. Still get emotional around this time of year as you left us on December 14 close to Christmas in 2004. We know that you’re here spending the holiday season with us and just want you to know how much we love you, and are thankful for everything you are in our lives. I love yoy. ❤️🩹
Hello my gem (AKA GG). Today you have been gone 19 years. It doesn’t seem like it has been that long. I still miss you and think of you like it was yesterday.
You are the best angel I could ever have. Not only were you here for me in life but your essence is here with me now and always. I love you.