Zelda K Boulanger
June 4, 1916 - March 20, 2012
Obituary
Zelda Kurt Boulanger
Zelda was born June 4, 1916 in Adams County, North Dakota; she died March 20, 2012 in Tacoma, WA.
Zelda and her husband Ernest lived on Angle Lake for over 60 years and she started the Angle Lake Shore Club. Zelda and Ernest were long time business partners with the Smith Brothers as owners of Smith Tractor in Fife now known as Pape. Zelda and Ernie frequented the Poodle Dog restaurant in Fife since the 1940’s making the Poodle Dog one of Zelda’s favorite stops to eat. Over the past few years she developed close bonds with the staff there.
In 1970, she assisted in establishing the first National Organization for Women (NOW) chapter in Washington and was nominated by National NOW to be the first Washington state president. Zelda was also nominated by the Seattle Times as one of “The Most Influential People in Seattle/King County History” for her work with NOW and the Siwanu Toastmistress Club of Seattle, now called International Training in Communication (ITC). ITC is an organization that helps women with their public speaking, communications and leadership skills. Because of the work she did with public speaking, she became well known within the community and was later nominated to take Rep. Paul Bardon’s seat in the legislature for which she declined. She was also one of the first eleven women chosen by the Civil Air Defense to visit the missile bases throughout the U.S. and Mexico and one of the first women to go through the base in the mountain at Colorado Springs. When she thanked the captain for having her aboard, his wife responded by saying, “We should be thanking you. If it wasn’t for all of the hard work you’ve done we wouldn’t be able to have you here.”
Zelda was preceded in death by her loving husband of 65 years Ernest Boulanger, son, Michael Boulanger, daughter Coralee Stephenson and son-in-law Richard Stephenson. Beloved grandmother of Morgan Stephenson, Danielle (Rob) Everson and Kelly Routsong; mother-in-law of Sandra Furlong and great-grandmother of Jacoby and Julian.
Funeral Mass followed by a reception 11:00 AM Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at St. Thomas Catholic Church, 4415 S. 140th Street, Tukwila.
Interment to follow at St. Patricks Catholic Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to NOW.org.
Please sign the online memorial guestbook at www.bonneywatson.com.
Article published in the Seattle Times Thursday, March 28, 2012.
Zelda Boulanger believed women could have it all. As a mother, wife and feminist in the business world, she helped found the first Seattle chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1970.
“She was very much the feminist,” said Sandi Furlong, of Montesano, Grays Harbor County, her daughter-in-law of more than 40 years. Her experiences throughout her life “really made her vow to get things changed so women weren’t held to a lesser standard than men.”
Mrs. Boulanger, who in recent years lived in Tacoma, died March 20. She was 95.
Born in South Fork, N.D., Mrs. Boulanger grew up seeing how hard it was for women to make it on their own.
At age 6, her father died, forcing her mother to move the family to South Dakota to live near her aunt. The impact of money and the poverty of life on a reservation struck her.
“Money was always important,” Furlong said. “Not to spend it but to have it. When people are poor, they never quite forget it.”
After graduating from high school, Mrs. Boulanger moved to Nome, Alaska, to pursue a civil-service position during World War II.
There, she first met her husband, Ernest Boulanger, but she also faced discrimination against women in the workplace.
While working for the government, she was told “we don’t promote women,” she reported to The Seattle Times in 1986. She then decided to leave for a career in the private sector, securing a job at Boeing.
Later, she worked in real estate during a time when married women had trouble purchasing property without their husbands’ consent. But she wouldn’t settle for less.
Mrs. Boulanger became involved in the Postmistress Club, teaching women how to debate, make speeches and preparing them for a business world dominated by men.
“She was very community minded and women’s issues were her big issue,” said Patricia Artz, a friend and collaborator in Mrs. Boulanger’s women’s liberation efforts.
Artz, who worked with Mrs. Boulanger in real estate, joined with her to start a women’s forum that met at the Seattle Public Library.
As the movement grew, the women met in the office of Judge Evangeline Starr at the King County Courthouse.
Starr worked with Mrs. Boulanger to advocate for women’s rights in Olympia, and the two women developed the idea of associating their group with NOW. By 1972, Boulanger worked across the state with 14 chapters of the organization.
“She was a very generous and outgoing person,” Artz said, adding that her friend was also savvy. “She could be quite executive in her way.”
Later in life, Mrs. Boulanger said little about her influence on women’s rights, said her granddaughter, Danielle Everson, of Elma, who didn’t learn the extent of her grandmother’s work until she researched family history.
“She could have been being humble about it, and she talked about it, but not a lot,” Everson said.
Mrs. Boulanger was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest; her daughter, Coralee Stephenson; her son, Michael Boulanger; and her son-in-law, Richard Stephenson.
Besides her granddaughter, and daughter-in-law, Mrs. Boulanger is survived by her grandson, Morgan Boulanger, of Tacoma.
A funeral is planned for 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Thomas Parish, 4415 S. 140th St., Tukwi
I met Ernie and Zelda at St. Thomas during the coffee hour one Sunday several years ago when I was still an active member of that congregation. I found them to be a most delightful couple, and I enjoyed seeing them there many times. I remember when they celebrated what I believe was their 60th anniversary, and I asked all those present to sing our congratulations to them. Zelda loved it, I’m not so sure Ernie did. God rest their souls.. I hope to see them when I get where she is going.
Rest in peace and without pain, Zelda.
Love,
Pat
RIP Auntie Zelda
I want to thank you for the many lessons you taught me as a young boy I’ve lived my life with many of them especially how to show total respect for women . I have many female friends that wonder why I treat them so well two words Aunt Zelda ! And when it comes to setting a table wow proper proper proper my friend Debra dose that and I always thing of you .Thank you for being such a wonderful role model for so many of us . You will be missed and remembered !
Love you so very much
As you always called me
Your nephew Mikey
My deepest sympathies to Zelda’s family.
My deepest condolences to Zelda’s family.
zelda was a remarkable lady she will be missed by all