Andrea (Andy) Anna Marie Needham, age 65, of Mount Vernon, passed away July 25, 2022. She was born in Frankfurt, Germany to Rudolf and Hildegard (Linz) Ruland.
Andrea had most of her primary schooling in Frankfurt and Trier, Germany. After the family moved to the US, Andrea graduated from Lee Vining High School in CA. While living in Mammoth Lakes she loved to ski, hike, and kayak and enjoyed her photography. She was a great artist as well. Andrea loved to travel and meet people. She traveled all over Europe by train. She graduated from UNR and joined the Forest Service in the capacity of a geologist. Andy started her professional career with the US Forest Service on the Klamath National Forest in Orleans, CA. Meeting her husband, Dell, a Forester with the Forest Service, where they fell in love and were married in Mammoth Lakes in 1987. She continued her FS career which eventually brought the family to Mount Vernon, WA in 1992 where Andy continued as a dedicated geologist/hydrologist with the FS. She was passionate about managing the land and protecting our natural resources. They acquired a 20-acre farm, where their children Daniel and Dominique were born and grew up. Soon after, Andy retired from the FS and became a full-time loving mom. She adored her Golden Retrievers and mini-horses and started a business raising them and the children on the farm. Wherever she went, she always had a beloved Golden at her side. She loved flowers and planted them everywhere. Andy was involved with the local Senior Center and made some dear friends there. She participated in exercise classes, line dancing, and other functions offered by the senior center. She loved participating in the La Conner Tulip Parade each year with many of her lovely Golden Retrievers and mini-horses. And she was dedicated to preserving and enhancing the quality of the breed. Andy was taken from us way too soon. At least the love and joy she shared with us will be in our hearts forever. Andy was loved dearly and will be missed by us all.Andrea is survived by her husband, Dell; children, Daniel and Dominique; mother, Hildegard; stepfather, Max; sister, Myriam in Reno, NV; niece, Susanna and family in Truckee, CA; cousin, Marion and her husband, Hermann as well as an uncle, Hans-Peter from a second marriage and step grandmother, Sanni in Trier, Germany; sister/brother-in-law, Carole and Woody Pierson in Long Beach, WA.
She was preceded in death by her father; Rudolf, her mother-in-law and father-in-law; Doris and Albert.
A Family Gathering Celebration of Life was held on Andrea’s beloved Mount Vernon farm where her ashes were scattered in all her favorite places. Share your memories of Andrea and sign the online guest register.
So sorry to hear of Andrea leaving us too soon. I will always remember Andrea for her passion for horses and goats. We were able to have Pixie, Angel, Buddy and Rocky as part of our extended family as a result.