Louise Catherine Buley
May 5, 1928 - May 1, 2019
Louise Catherine Urick Buley was born in Great Falls, Montana, on May 5, 1928, to Matt and Ana Urick, who immigrated to the U.S. from Yugoslavia.
As the youngest of ten children, she enjoyed growing up on the family ranch in Belt Valley. As the baby of the family, she was loved and doted upon! Her adventures included riding her pony to school; sleigh riding with a team of horses driven by her dad; and ice skating on the pond. After graduating from high school and earning teacher certification in Great Falls, Mom taught in a one-room school house for Belt children. She covered every subject for grades 1-8.
When Mom and Dad met at her parents’ ranch, they began a life-long romance, including many love letters exchanged during their courtship! They married in Belt with great fanfare, then moved to Seattle to begin their family. Together, they raised seven children: Mary Louise (Dan); Patti (Bob); Michael (Carmen); Mark (Maureen); Bill (Marianne); and Stephanie Jo. Their daughter Nancy died in 2011. Through the years to come, each and every one of their twenty-one grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren were happily welcomed to the family.
Mom and Dad gave us countless memories of laughter and joy as a family. Vacations to Montana and Whidbey were yearly events for us. Helping Mom make potica (while sampling the dough!) and sharing cups of hot chocolate on cold, rainy days after school kept us smiling. None of us will ever forget Christmases with presents piled under the tree; holidays shared across generations as the Buley family grew; parties filled with friends, neighbors, card games, dancing and music. We were the lucky ones! Our parents gave us joy and love to carry with us forever.
Mom was a gracious hostess who could make room at the table for whomever walked in the door at our Fremont house. For family and friends, she would have a home-cooked meal ready in no time: casseroles and soups; bread with home-canned jam and jelly ; blackberries from our backyard for pie; and our favorite raisin cookies. No one ever went away hungry!
As we left home, Mom ventured out into the job market. One of her favorite jobs was with Pacific Northwest Bell. She thrived on being part of a diverse workplace, where she met all kinds of people with all sorts of stories to tell!
Mom and Dad also were adventurous travelers, taking trips to Germany, Ireland, England, France, Alaska, Hawai’i, Idaho, Wisconsin and many other places – sometimes to see family, other times to see the world! In China, they were among the first foreigners to visit Yangzhou, where Mom was the talk of the town as she bicycled around. She was admired for being such a young and stylish grandmother.
Louise grew up in a family with a strong Catholic faith. A special gift from her parents was her membership in the American Slovenian Catholic Union, which she kept for more than fifty years. She and Ray shared a commitment to sending their children to Catholic grade schools and high school. They were active in the parishes of St. Catherine's and St. John's in Seattle, St. Mary Magdalene in Everett, and Holy Rosary in Edmonds. Louise especially enjoyed being a member of the Catholic Daughters at St. Mary Magdalene. She and Ray were honored at both parishes for the inspiring longevity of their marriage.
Most of all, Mom loved becoming Grandma Louise and keeping up with all of her grandchildren, whether through phone calls, emails, drop-by visits or attending a myriad of sporting and drama events. Mom even was known to chase down the ice cream truck for her grandkids! She liked hearing the latest and the greatest with everyone! A fashionista, whose favorite colors were fuchsia and purple, she dressed in style for trips to the mall, searching for the perfect gifts for every occasion. Also affectionately known as Louiser, Auntie Louise and Mrs. B., she would never turn down an offer to stop at Starbucks, where she tried every new coffee drink and knew the baristas by name!
Mom, you had a long life filled with the rich experiences of loving and being loved in your Montana and Seattle families. To say we’ll miss you is a vast understatement. No one can take your place in our hearts. Yet we are grateful that now you can be with Ray, and Nancy, and all of your family. What a grand homecoming!
Please join us as we celebrate the life of Louise Buley! Services will be held on Wednesday, May 29th at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 630 7th Ave N, Edmonds WA 98020.
Rosary at 10:30am
Mass at 11am
Reception following in the church hall.
We would appreciate donations to the Edmonds Senior Center (edmondssc.org), should you want to contribute to a place where they shared many good times.
FUNERAL INFORMATION
Please join us as we celebrate the life of Louise Buley! Services will be held on Wednesday, May 29th at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 630 7th Ave N, Edmonds WA 98020.
Rosary at 10:30am
Mass at 11am
Reception following in the church hall.
DONATIONS
We would appreciate donations to the Edmonds Senior Center (edmondssc.org), should you want to contribute to a place where they shared many good times.