Gilda Steen Padden, 71, a longtime Burlington area resident passed away at her home on Tuesday, November 28, 2006.
She was born on April 24, 1935 in Priest River, Idaho, the daughter of Edward & Bertha LeJeune Steen.
The family moved to Monroe, WA in 1935 and there Gilda was raised until the family moved to Clear Lake, WA in 1947. She attended Clear Lake Elementary school and then Sedro-Woolley High School, graduating with the class of 1953.
She worked at several office jobs until 1956 when she was united in marriage to Peter D. Kelly and her new occupation was being a wife and a mother to her 3 sons. As her family grew she returned to work as an office manager for National Frozen Foods in Burlington where she retired in 1990 after 25 years of service.
In 1972 Gilda married John Padden and together they made their home north of Burlington for 26 years until his death in 1998.
Gilda enjoyed traveling, camping and sitting around the campfire, making lefse with her friends, her craft projects and her volunteer work for the orthopedic guild.
She had a great sense of humor and loved a good joke but mostly she loved spending time with her family and friends.
Gilda is survived by her 3 sons, Randy Kelly and Mark Kelly and his wife, Carolyn all of Clear Lake and Joe Kelly and his wife, Donna of Bow. Her 9 grandchildren, Christopher, Kenneth, Phillip, Eric, Peter J., Jennifer, McKenna, Sarah and Maranda Kelly and her great-granddaughter, Elizabeth Kelly. 2 step-children and their spouses, John & Arlene Padden and Katherine & Ernie Atkinson and 1 step-granddaughter, Christy Schaad. Her sister, Dorothy Hedlund, her sister-in-law, Margaret Steen and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Besides her husband John she was also preceded in death by her parents; her brother, John Steen and a nephew, John Steen, Jr.
Gilda’s family request that memorials be made to the Burlington Firefighters Association or the Grace Cochrum Guild – Children’s Therapy Program. Gilda was a charter member of the Grace Cochrum Guild.
A Life Celebration will be held on Tuesday, December 5, 2006 at 2:00pm at Lemley Chapel in Sedro-Woolley with Pastor David Engle officiating. Private inurnment will be at the Bayview Cemetery in Bellingham. Arrangements are under the direction of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley.
‘Our Gilda-bird has now flown home.’