Ture Bernard Edstrom
March 30, 1914 - March 15, 2008
Obituary
Ture Bernard ‘Bernie’ Edstrom
March 30, 1914 – March 15, 2008
Ture Bernard Edstrom was born March 30, 1914, in Brookston, MN, to Albin and Signe Edstrom, immigrants from Sweden. He was the first of four children. One sister in Minnesota survives him. He spoke Swedish until he was five years old and started school. He attended public school through the 8th grade. Bernie was self-educated in many areas. He was always interested in education and improving himself and took correspondence school courses in electrical/electronics.
He worked for his uncle’s logging company in northern Minnesota during his late teenage years, followed by work on the shipping docks in Duluth. He met Elsie at a dance when he was 20 years old and she was 16. They courted during the summer months for five years when he was able to drive the 50 miles on passable roads. They were married on April 22, 1939. Daughter, Dorothy, was born in 1940.
When there was no longer work on the docks, the family used a pass on the train to go to Seattle. Bernard’s brother lived in the Seattle area. They stayed with friends, sleeping on the floor of the friends’ apartment, and Bernie walked the streets looking for a place to live and a job. He found an apartment and put $20 down to hold the apartment that was to become available in two weeks. They used their railroad pass and traveled to Seal Beach, CA, where Elsie’s uncle lived. Her uncle wanted them to stay in California, but they had to return to Seattle because of the deposit they had put down on the apartment. Son, Roger, was born in 1943.
Bernard worked for Todd’s Shipyard in Seattle, and he and a friend later purchased the Richfield Service Station at the corner of Melrose and Pine in Seattle. They owned this station for four years. After it was sold, Bernie went to work for the Boeing Company in 1948. He worked in the mock-up area as an experimental electrician. He did the wiring for the rotodome on the very first A WACS airplane. Bernie retired after 30 years.
The family moved to Des Moines in 1953 where Bernie and Elsie lived for 49 years until their move to Foundation House in Federal Way, in 2002.
Bernie and Elsie enjoyed fishing and camping. They often fished out of Neah Bay, Seiku, and Westport; and participated in several Boeing fishing derbies.
They enjoyed traveling and made their first trip to Norway and Sweden in 1964, visiting the homes of their parents and making the acquaintance of many relatives. They made several trips to Hawaii, and traveled to England, Switzerland, and Mexico. They made many trips to Minnesota to visit relatives, and to California to visit son, Roger, and family. Bernie and Elsie often traveled with friends, attending the Calgary Stampede and Pendleton Roundup, and to Branson, MO. Their first cruise took them through the Panama Canal. Their second cruise was to Alaska. These were fulfillments of lifetime dreams.
Bernard was a perfectionist in everything he did. ‘Measure and cut it twice, and it was still too short.’ He was very knowledgeable about car mechanics, and taught Roger much of what he knows about cars, which became Roger’s hobby. Bernie was a quiet, gentle man.
Bernard and Elsie were charter members of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Seattle, and also charter members of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, SeaTac; members of the Valley Good Sam Drifters RV Club where he was a past president; the Swedish Club now the Swedish Cultural Center; Frihet Lodge of V ASA Order of America; Sons of Norway Vesterdalen Lodge; and a member of the International Aero-Mechanics Union for more than 50 years.
Bernie is survived by his wife of almost 69 years; daughter Dorothy Lloyd Hartley, Kent, W A; son Roger Vera Edstrom, Los Altos, CA; grandchildren, Jennifer Craig Carlson, Spanaway; Christopher Julie Hartley, Seattle; Peter Bridgette Hartley, Renton; Erik Jenny Edstrom, Santa Clara, CA; Karin Edstrom, Los Altos, CA; eight great-grandchildren; his sister, Judith Miller, Meadowlands, MN; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family wants to thank the staff at Foundation House and Franciscan Hospice for the love and care they showered upon Bernie. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, the American Heart Association, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Roger and Dorothy,
Please accept our condolences for your loss. Our prayers and thoughts are with you.
Our prayers are with you. Your Dad was a wonderful man, so kind and gentle, and he will be greatly missed. Give your Mom a big hug from me. Love you both, Darla and John
Dorothy & Lloyd & Family
It has always been a pleasure knowing Bernie & Elsie. We always enjoyed being with them on an outing with Valley Drifters. It was a pleasure to sit aroung the campfire at night & to be with them during the day as I never heard Bernie criticize or say a mean word about anyone. I always told Bernie “If I was ever lucky enough to reach his age I hoped I still had his outlook on life as I know he enjoyed it.” You can all be proud to call Bernie, Husband, Father & Grandfather. You have our deepest condolances for your loss.
We are so sorry for your loss. I know how close your family has been to my dad Bob Stennes, and my grandma Helga and grandpa Al. I hope you are all able to find peace and comfort in knowing what a long wonderful life he led.