Lois Mae (Hanson) Varekamp
February 13, 1923 - May 6, 2021
Obituary
Lois Mae (Hanson) Varekamp was born on February 13, 1923 to Olaf Hanson and Edith (Bohn) Hanson in a snow storm in Carson City, North Dakota. Lois was the oldest of four children. Her siblings were Raymond, Roland (deceased). and Sharon Barnhart (deceased). Their family moved to Arkansas and then settled in California. Lois graduated from Turlock High School in 1940 and from Modesto Junior college in 1942.
She enlisted in the U.S. Navy Waves in February 1944, trained in New York State (Hunter College and Sampson Naval Academy) and then was assigned to the Fleet Post Office in San Francisco, California. Her supervisor arranged it so that Willem Varekamp would bring packages to her to process. His matchmaking was successful and Lois and Will were married June 23, 1945.
After the war, Will and Lois moved to Ballard where Will resumed his work with the U.S. Postal Service. They purchased a home on 4th Ave NW and a few years later purchased a larger home on 16th Ave NW where they lived for 48 years. Will and Lois raised three children (Elaine, Jean and Don). Lois was a seamstress and sewed for her family, clients, and in a sewing circle for missionary families. Will and Lois were longtime members of Emmanuel Bible Church where they were especially involved in youth ministries and supporting missionaries during homestays.
Lois attended Edison Technical School to gain business office skills. She then worked as the head secretary to the Dean of the School of Education at Seattle Pacific College for several years.
In later years, Will, and Lois enjoyed travel and spending time with family and friends. Will and Lois moved from Ballard to Lake Meridian in 1997 and then to the Farrington Court Retirement facility in Kent in 2002. She continued to live there after Will’s death in 2011 until her death at home and with family on May 6th. Her family is grateful that they, along with private caregivers, were able to care for her in her apartment during the Covid-19 pandemic so that she could remain at home.
Lois is survived by her daughter Elaine Johnson (Larry) of Portland, daughter Jean Soldan of Kent, son Don Varekamp (Karen Gardner) of Seattle, four grandchildren Aimee Martin, Eric Boldan, Carolyn Hoffman (Kent) and Daniel Johnson (Amanda Holden-Johnson), six great-grandchildren Drew (Benay), Emilee and Sarah Strong, Jasper and Daphne Holden-Johnson, Willem Hoffman and two great-great-grandchildren Kenneth and Everly Strong.
A private service will be held at the Tahoma Veterans National Cemetery in Covington, Washington.
Memorials will be used for a monetary gift to the employees of Farrington Court