Luella Elizabeth Gilje passed away peacefully on June 12, at the age of 86.
Ms. Gilje was born March 30, 1924 in Marshalltown, Iowa. She spent her early years growing up in Sioux City, Iowa. In March 1945 Luella married Chief Petty Officer Earl S. Robinson Sr. Mr. Robinson was a career Navy man and they travelled throughout the United States, Cuba and to Guam, having three children along the way. Traveling from Maryland, California, Rhode Island, Cuba and then to Guam, the latter where her parents, Henry and Mabel Schimberg, had lived since 1949. Ms. Gilje and Mr. Robinson divorced on Guam.
While working for the Navy as a Civil Service GS4 employee, Ms. Gilje met and married her second husband, Capt. Stanley Allen Gilje, a master mariner. The couple continued to live on Guam and added four children to the family. In November 1962, the family relocated to the Seattle area permanently after Typhoon Karen devastated Guam. Ms. Gilje was widowed in October, 1970 when Mr. Gilje died unexpectedly.
She stayed in the Magnolia area from 1962 until 1996. She reared seven children and also cared for her two stepsons while working for the City of Seattle. Ms. Gilje started at Seattle City Light and moved to the Seattle Water Department where she worked as an account technician until she retired with more than 20 years of service with the City of Seattle.
Family was always first with Ms. Gilje. She dearly loved her children and grandchildren and was a devoted daughter to her parents, Mabel and Henry Schimberg. When not enjoying family gatherings, Ms. Gilje enjoyed traveling, taking the kids on many trips and she loved going to see the flowers in the Skagit Valley. Ms. Gilje is survived by her children (Earl, Cynthia, Ross, Jon, Arne, Elizabeth, Amy, Karl and Ted), 20 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren.
Ms. Gilje will be missed by all her family and friends. We were blessed to have her as our mother, grandmother and teacher. Our many experiences and memories of her are treasures.
Our family would also like to thank the staff at Mission Healthcare in Crossroads for the high caliber of special care they gave our mother for so long and to know how much that meant to us.
The funeral service and celebration of her life will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, July 9 at Evergreen-Washelli Memorial Park in Seattle. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.[[In-content Ad]]
