Josephine Helen McCunn

November 27, 1923 - September 02, 2013

A beautiful smile, contagious laugh and a loving spirit

Josephine was born in Seattle, Washington to parents Karl and Berntine Paschen. Both of her parents were immigrants, her father from Germany and her mother from Norway. She grew up in Seattle, Washington and Craig, Alaska (an island off the coast of Ketchikan) where her family moved in 1929. She and her sisters, Mary and Charlotte, attended a one room school house for their first 8 years of school. Josephine left Alaska and her family at 14 to attend Holy Names Academy in Seattle as a boarding student, returning home every summer. When her sister Mary came to attend Holy Names the next year they stayed with their grandfather in Rainier Valley.

Josephine met her husband John McCunn in 1945, they married in 1946 and had their only child, Shirley in 1947. They made their home in Seattle, with the exception of 5 years in Selah, Washington. They remained married until John’s death in 2003.

She enjoyed her working years and spent most of them working for the fishing industry she retired from Icicle Seafood in 1989. Josephine was highly social and enjoyed being around people, being outdoors and walking. She loved their cabin at Mason Lake and welcomed everyone who came to visit with grace and a warm heart. Josephine was a delightful lady with a beautiful smile, a contagious laugh and a loving spirit (as described by Julie McCunn, thank you Julie).

Josephine is preceded in death by her husband, granddaughter, Kelly and her sister and brother-in-law Mary and Dave Pugh. She is survived by her daughter Shirley (Dave), her granddaughters Megan (Tony) and Lisa McWayne. Great-grandchildren: Myles, Cassie, Justin and Noah Bittinger her sister Charlotte McCoy and many loving nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to Group Health of Snohomish County Hospice especially Linda Lusk-Fauquet, Dr. Barbara Walker and Karen Jackson. We want to thank Mary Roberge for taking such good care of her Aunt Jo at Scriber Gardens and to John Alexy for taking communion to mom every week. We also want to thank Amazing Grace where she spent the last 3 years of her life. Bless you Lettie, Steve and Michelle Krasner and Mizpah (Ping) and the other care givers for your loving care and attention to my mom.

FUNERAL INFORMATION

Services will be held at St. Thomas More; 6511 176th St SW; Lynnwood, Washington 98037 on October 25, 2013 at 11 AM.

DONATIONS

In lieu of flowers please send donations to the scholarship fund to:

Holy Names Academy; 728 21st Ave East; Seattle, Washington 98112

Group Health Hospice; 15809 Bear Creek Parkway-Suite 140; Redmond, Washington 98052.

Memorial

Miss Me, But Let Me Go

When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me,
I want no rites in a gloom-filled room,
Why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little-but not too long,
And not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love that we once shared.
Miss me-but let me go.

For this is a journey we all must take,
And each must go alone.
It is all a part of the Master's plan,
A step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick of heart,
Go to the friends we know,
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds.
Miss me-but let me go.

Author Unknown

Legacy of Love

A wife, a mother, a grandma too, This is the legacy we have from you. You taught us love and how to fight, You gave us strength, you gave us might. A stronger person would be hard to find, And in your heart, you were always kind. You fought for us all in one way or another, Not just as a wife not just as a mother. For all of us you gave your best, Now the time has come for you to rest. So go in peace, you've earned your sleep, Your love in our hearts, we'll eternally keep.