May Louise (Corey) Berglund
May 09, 1910 - March 09, 2010
May's long life was lived well
May Louise Corey was born in the family home in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle to Justin C Corey and Louise (Clementson) Corey on May 9, 1910. She passed away on March 9, 2010 at home.
May attended Ross School in Seattle and was vice-president of her graduating class from Ballard High School in 1918. The family moved to Queen Anne Hill and May worked at Frederick and Nelson and for her father at the Corey Sign Company. She met her future husband Frank A Berglund on a blind date and they were married on February 6, 1931. Frank and May built their own home in the north end of Seattle. Their daughter Joan was born in 1932 and son Richard in 1940.
May and Frank enjoyed outdoor activities including skiing, hiking, camping and fishing. In 1944 they opened their business, Berglund Floor Covering and May became a salesperson and bookkeeper. Their love of the outdoors led them to leave Seattle in 1949 and move to the beach community Spee Bi Dah on Port Susan Bay. The commute to their business in Seattle was not easy but living close to nature made up for the travel time. May, Frank and the neighbors became a close knit family, with many boating, clamming and fishing trips. May continued to work in the family business after she was widowed and only reluctantly left “the beach” and moved into town after retirement from the business and night driving became difficult.
After moving to town May's next work was to volunteer at the Marysville Visitors Center where she made many friends and enjoyed sharing her experience and knowledge of the Pacific Northwest to people from around the world. She received many honors for her service to this organization.
May and Frank had many trips by private plane to Mexico with their dear friends Clydene and Bill Garret and May made several trips with Clydene overseas. These trips provide a beginning of a hobby making scrapbooks of family and traveled and provided May with a chance to relive the memories of family events and travel.
Until her eyesight failed, May loved to sew, knit, crotchet and embroider. There were many projects that her daughter started that May finished! She was a great cook, fine babysitter for grandchildren, loved to play bridge with neighbors and enjoyed her garden.
Although May lost her sight a couple of years ago she never lost her vision. In the last couple of years she developed a fondness for audio books and “read” stories of places and events she could picture in her mind and find adventure through out the world.
She leaves behind her son Richard Berglund (Kay), daughter Joan Penewell, grandchildren David Penewell (Lisa), Karen Penewell, Cindy Guy (Ken), Carol Penewell, Jay Berglund (Ruth), Penny Reed (Mark) and great grandchildren Eric Penewell, Kyle Penewell, Corey Guy, Ally Guy, Adam Reed, Kristen Reed, Mathew Reed, sister Marion Jones and brother Robert Corey (Barbara).
The family wishes to extend a special thanks to Hidden Creek Adult Family home. The owners Jolene and Hershel Mobley welcomed her into their family and along with Linda provided her with most loving care.
Funeral Information
May's Memorial Service is Tuesday, March 16 at 2 p.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 7215 51st Ave NE, Marysville, WA 98270.
Donations
In lieu of flowers, remembrances to Village Community Services, a non-profit, supporting adults with special needs. 3210 Smokey Pt Drive, Arlington, WA 98223.
Memorial
For May...
When good friends walk beside us
On the trails that we must keep,
Our burden seems less heavy
And the hills not as steep.
The wear miles pass swiftly
Taken in joyous stride,
And all the world seems brighter
As friends walk side by side.
Anonymous
memory
Like a shell on the beach...
My memory lingers on....
The waves carry them in...
The sand erodes their shape
The rain buries them low...
The sun shines them gold...
A stranger picks it up... Seals it in his palm....
Throws it back into the sea
There in the depth of time..
My memory lingers on.
Prabha Trimurty