Dorothy A. Balgaard, 91, a former Skagit County resident, passed away on Wednesday, January 5, 2011 in Portland, Oregon.
She was born on August 25, 1919 in Burlington, WA, the daughter of F. Oscar & A. Laura (Weir) Bjerstedt. The family made their home in Sedro-Woolley and Dorothy attended McCray Grade School and Sedro-Woolley High School.
On April 17, 1944 she was united in marriage to Melvin Balgaard in Mount Vernon and they made their home just east of Burlington.
Dorothy worked helping to maintain the family farm while also working for the Seattle Luggage Company making foot lockers for the military and then for many years as a food processor at National Frozen Foods.
She and Melvin enjoyed traveling across the U.S. and Canada and she was a longtime member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Sedro-Woolley.
Dorothy is survived by her son, Carl Balgaard of Sedro-Woolley and her daughter, Carol Austin and her husband George of Portland, Oregon. Six grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a son Marvin in 1998; her husband Melvin in 2001 and two sisters, Evelyn Metcalf and Jessie Higby.
Graveside Services will be held on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 2:00 PM at the Greenhills Memorial Cemetery in Burlington with Pastor Walt Rice of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Sedro-Woolley officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley. Share memories of Dorothy and sign the online guest register at www.lemleychapel.com
Dorothy Balgaard was my paternal Grandmother. and Marvin Balgaard was my father. I have many wonderful memories of visiting my Grandparents fro Nearby Anacortes. I spent countless hours sitting at the kitchen table eating Chicken Loaf sandwiches, drawing with crayons and chalk pastels, helping to decorate cookies, and eating many of those cookies. I remember the pink and lavender candles set out for Lent, and playing checkers with Grandma. We watched “Anne of Green Gables” together, and she would show me the vegetable garden out side. Grandma Balgaard loved Birds, Cardinals especially, and there were always cats and dogs who knew where to go for lots of love. Grandpa Melvin and I would watch Cartoons together, and I would share my comic books with him.He would always call me “Windy” as I was a chatterbox, and ask me “How I liked Them apples”. In the summer, they would take me to clear lake, and To Bayview Bird Santuary. Grandma and Grandpa Balgaard were truly the Salt of The Earth” in every respect. The very best, and sweetest grandparents any kid could ever hope for.
When I was a child our family would “Go for a ride” to see Dorthy, Melvin and Aunt Laura. I can’t remember if we walked to a small house behind the main house or if it was just a big room on the back of the main house, but we would visit for a while with Aunt Laura and she would talk specifically to each one of us kids and my dad then my mom, just like she had a procedure to follow. She was very sweet at first just sitting in a chair then later in a wheel chair. When the family returned to the main house Dorthy always had homemade cookies and coffee ready unless they were on their way some where. She made real cookies that were thick and delicious nothing “Special or different” just real cookiess like sugar cookies, oatmeal cookies, or molassis. I’ll never forget it. God Bless her and her family at this time. I choose to believe God wanted one of those “Real Cookies”. Peace be with you in your time of sorrow and thank you for sharing.