Mildred Goodwin

June 22, 1909 - July 28, 2004 We will miss our "Grandma", Mildred Goodwin, who passed away Wednesday morning. Mildred was born Mildred Solberg on June 22, 1909 in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Born on the first full day of summer, Mildred's sunny disposition was infectious to all those around her. She had been a member of Elim Lutheran Church since 1980. Mildred moved with family to Seattle in 1912 where she stayed through college. She graduated from Queen Ann High School in 1928 and the University of Washington in 1932 with a degree in education. Mildred went on to teach high school in LaConner for three years before she married Glynn Goodwin. The Goodwins moved to El Monte, California, but felt the great Northwest calling them back in 1942. They went into business, establishing Long Lake Supply. Mildred worked at the store and served for many years as a community correspondent for the Port Orchard Independent. She also gave piano lessons to area children. She had always loved music, playing the piano and the organ as well as directing choral groups during her lifetime. Mildred returned to teaching special education in 1962 at Marcus Whitman Junior High School and taught until her retirement in 1970. She was an active retiree. She was a member and past president of the Business and Professional Women and attended their conventions in Puerto Rico, Japan, and Australia. She was also active with numerous retired teacher groups, the Children's Hospital Guild Association, Dr. A.G. Allen Auxiliary, the Long Lake Community Club, and the South Kitsap Seniors. Mildred loved to travel and visited Norway, Russia, Egypt and a variety of South American countries. Later in life, she had to scale back her wandering ways but she enjoyed coming to church and being with friends and family. Mildred is survived by her three children, Gary Goodwin, Lynne Ryan, and Sharon Kawasaki, all of Port Orchard, WA; five grandchildren, Craig Hollis, of Orange Park, FL, Laurie Kinney, of Port Orchard, WA, Jana Russell, of Gig Harbor, WA, Diana Buckner, of Seabeck, WA, and Burley Kawasaki, of Redmond, WA; and seven great-grandchildren, Savannah Hollis and Carolina Hollis, of Orange Park, FL, Aaron Powell and Matthew Powell, of Port Orchard, WA, Jennifer Diaz and David Morrison, Jr, of Salt Lake, and Daniel Kawasaki, of Redmond, WA. Friends will be received at the funeral service on Tuesday, August 3, 1:00PM, at Elim Lutheran Church. Please join the family in the Fellowship Hall following the services. Memorial donations can be made to Elim Lutheran Church, 5911 E. Hillcrest Dr, Port Orchard, WA 98366, or the Children's Hospital Guild Assn (Dr. A.G. Allen Aux) c/o Barbara Poole, PO Box 4237, South Colby, WA 98384.