February 09, 1914 - October 04, 2011
Eileen Edith Haugen Obituary
Eileen Edith Bjork was born at home on her family's cattle ranch along the Red Deer River near Atlee, Alberta, Canada, on a cold February 9th, 1914. Her mother had chosen the name Dorothy Adele, but when her father went to the post office to register the birth a few days later he didn't recall the name. Mr. Hallam, the Irish postmaster, said "Eileen" was a good Irish name, so the little girl born of two Swedish immigrants became Eileen, with a middle name of Edith after her father's sister. Eileen was the 7th of 8 children born to John Magnus and Elimine (Minnie) Bjork. The Bjork family immigrated to Canada from Montana in 1906; leaving the mines to take up ranching on a spot they called Sunflower Flats. Several extended family members settled nearby, creating a supportive community. Eileen was preceded in death by her siblings: Magnus (1901-1980), Clarence (1902-1976), Margaret (1904-1999), Evelyn (1906-1911), Grace (1908-1996), Edna (1910-1924), and Norwood (1916-1998).
Eileen's parents believed in educating both girls and boys, and hired teachers to live on the remote ranch to provide a school for their children and neighboring children. These teachers were usually young women from Eastern Canada, who taught for a year or so before marrying a local cowboy, so the family was required to recruit all over again. Eileen finished high school with high marks, and like her sisters, went on to further education. Her sisters who survived to adulthood became a teacher and a nurse, and Eileen graduated from Beautician's college. After graduating, she moved north to Peace River, Alberta, and owned and operated her own business, The Hollywood Beauty Salon. This was in the early 1930's, and she said everyone wanted to go to Hollywood. She would catch a ride in the small planes heading north to collect furs from Canadian First Peoples' hunters, and gave haircuts and permanents to the village women. She said riding back to Peace River in the back of the small planes on top of a load of smelly furs was not the most pleasant experience.
Eileen moved back home to care for her mother during her final illness. After Minnie died in 1942, Eileen immigrated to Spokane, Washington, to live with her aunts, Hilda and Edith Bjork. Eileen worked as a manicurist at the Ridpath Hotel, and later at the telephone company. She soon met a handsome veteran, recently returned from the war in Europe, and apprenticing to be an electrician. Otto Theodore Haugen and Eileen Edith Bjork were married in Spokane on August 17, 1947. Eileen and Otto had two daughters, Marie Eileen born in 1952, and Carol Kjersten. They lived in Spokane all of their married life, except for about 5 years, when Otto first worked as an electrical inspector in Colville, Washington. They spent many summer vacations visiting family in Canada, or North Dakota, where Otto's family had homesteaded.
Eileen kept herself busy with caring for her family, volunteering with her church, helping neighbors and friends, playing bridge, bowling with the Lutheran Ladies League, gardening and canning. She enjoyed cooking and making a meal look appealing, and experimented with foods such as artichokes, pomegranates and cumquats, unheard of on her native Alberta prairie, and rare even in Spokane in the 1960's and 70's. Eileen's mother, Minnie, had been a chef for wealthy mining families in Montana, and passed her skills onto her daughter.
After her husband died, and at the urging of her grandchildren, Eileen adopted a puppy she named "Lady" after Princess Di. Lady grew into a fierce 10 pounds, and became Eileen's best friend, companion, and watchdog for nearly 18 special years.
Eileen and Otto were long-time, active members of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Spokane, joining in December 1955. Eileen remained an active member until her death.
Eileen and Otto lived a good life together until she was widowed July 10, 1981, when Otto died of pancreatic cancer. Eileen honored Otto, and made a new life for herself, traveling over much of the world with her sister Margaret, family and friends. She particularly enjoyed spending time at "The River," property she and Otto bought along the Pend Oreille River, near Newport, Washington, in 1969. The old trailer and campfire was their four-star hotel, and they enjoyed many family reunions as well as quiet weekends there. The river property is decorated with memories from the Alberta ranch and the North Dakota farm - wagon wheels, farm implements, cattle skulls - all treasures.
Eileen had a special relationship with her two grandchildren, Christopher Otto (Ott) Statzel (born 1975), and Rebecca Florence (Sophie) Statzel (now Bjork-James)(born 1977). During much of their childhood, Ott and Sophie lived with their mother, Marie, a few blocks from "Gram's" home. Eileen was part of their daily lives, and they traveled with her to Canada to visit relatives, learned to count by playing cribbage (a Bjork family tradition), and simply enjoyed each other's company. "Grams" provided support, encouragement, and acceptance to her grandchildren, and the knowledge they were always loved. She loved hearing about their adventures, and encouraged them to be their best selves.
Eileen and Carol shared a home for many years, first Carol living in Eileen's home, then Eileen living in Carol's home. Eileen fractured her pelvis in 2008, and needed help to care for herself from then on. The family was blessed to find wonderful companions and friends to help Eileen, and Mariya Karptsova and Brooke Belcourt became part of the extended family. Mariya and her husband, Vladimir, spent many weekends on the Pend Oreille River with Eileen and Carol, allowing Eileen to continue to enjoy her "River" home.
Eileen passed away in the early hours of October 4, 2011, following a short illness with pneumonia and other complications. At nearly 98, she opened the next door to move on. A strong, but quiet and gentle presence, Eileen died peacefully with family around her. She is survived by her daughter, Carol Haugen of Spokane, her daughter Marie Bjork-Haugen and her son-in-law Kent Moline also of Spokane, her grandson Ott Statzel and his partner Mullane Harrington of Bellingham, Washington, and her granddaughter Sophie Bjork-James and her partner Carwil Bjork-James of Brooklyn, New York. She is also survived by her dear sister-in-law, Olive Maxwell of Spokane, her Bjork nieces and nephews, Mona Templeton of Lethbridge, Alberta, Roberta Cole of Orillia, Ontario, Darlene Kennedy of Calgary, Alberta, Wade Bjork of West Bank, British Columbia, and Linda Fandrich of Medicine Hat, Alberta, nearly 30 Haugen nieces and nephews, the eldest of which is Arlene Ibsen, of Denver, Colorado, and great nieces and nephews, cousins, step-grandchildren, and friends. Eileen was a special lady, and will be missed, and her memory honored, by all who knew her.
A memorial service will be held at her church, St. Mark's Lutheran, at 1:00 p.m., Monday, October 17th, 316 E 24th, Spokane, WA. Donations in her name may be made to St. Marks, or to the Spokane Humane Society, Second Harvest Foods, or the charity of your choice.
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