Wanda Mary Ross Pitman, 65, a resident of Burlington, passed from this Life on Thursday, March 22, 2007 at Skagit valley Hospital in Mount Vernon.
Wanda, the daughter of Donald H. and Wanda Mary Janicki Ross was born on June 3, 1941 in Seattle, WA, just before the outbreak of WW II. Her parents divorced in 1945 and her mother remarried in 1946 to Cecil Kelley, who was the real father in her life. They made their home in Grace, Idaho until 1951 when they moved to the site of her mother’s childhood home in Clear Lake, Washington.
Wanda attended Clear Lake Elementary School and Sedro-Woolley High School, graduating with the class of 1959. She then attended Marylhust College, now Marylhurst University in Oregon.
In July of 1961 Wanda was united in marriage to Richard Pitman, someone she described as her best friend through high school. They made their home in Clear Lake and were blessed with the birth of their only child, Christina Tina Anne Pitman. In 1968 they moved to Sedro-Woolley. They were married for 19 years, divorcing in 1981, and have managed to maintain a good relationship in the ensuing years.
Wanda worked as a playground monitor at Mary Purcell Elementary for a few years and then as a sales clerk at several retail business’s in the community. She also worked for the Red Cross Disaster Relief & Emergency Preparedness for many years and traveled to California and Florida offering assistance. She also volunteered and was active in Camp Fire Girls when Tina was small.
From her first efforts with campaigning for John F. Kennedy, Wanda had an interest in politics, and ran for Sedro-Woolley City Council. She was the first woman elected to the position, serving the city for several years until moving from the area for work.
When she returned to the Skagit Valley she made her home in Mount Vernon, at Lake Tyee and most recently in Burlington. While living in Burlington she again became active in civic government and served on the Burlington Planning Commission.
For leisure, Wanda had an active interest in crafts and playing bingo and pinochle with friends.
Wanda is survived by her daughter, Tina Sutton and her grandson, Eli Sutton, both of Lyman and Tina’s companion, Tom Shields. Her ‘adopted’ daughter, Lisa Forsythe of Sedro-Woolley. Her mother, Wanda Kelley of Sedro-Woolley. 2 sisters, Joyce Kelley of Coupeville and Pola Kelley of Sedro-Woolley. 2 brothers, Ray Kelley of Middletown, CA and Tim Kelley of Clear Lake. Adopted grandchildren, Jeremy, April, Stephanie & Brianna, along with numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family. She was preceded in death by her father, Donald Ross; her step-father, Cecil Kelley; an infant sister, Nancy Kelley and her son-in-law, Michael Sutton.
Memorials are suggested to the Diabetes Association or the American Red Cross.
A Funeral Mass will be held at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Sedro-Woolley on Tuesday, March 27, 2007 at 2:00 PM with Father Tom Gallagher, S.J., Celebrant. Private inurnment will be at the Sedro-Woolley Union Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley.