Anna Lou (Hill) Pearce, 87, left this world peacefully Sunday, March 25, 2018, at Providence Mother Joseph Care Center, in Olympia, Wash. She was born Nov. 10, 1930, in Portland, Ore., and spent her childhood with siblings, living in Boistfort, Curtis and Chehalis. In 1941, Anna and her mom moved to Kirkland, Wash., during the early years of World War II when Mattie worked at the Shipyards. Having later moved back to Lewis County, Anna graduated valedictorian from Winlock High School Class of 1949. Then, lived in Tenino, Wash., and Freshwater, Calif., before settling in Chehalis, Wash., in 1965, where she raised her family.
Anna was a true matriarch and is survived by her six children:, Lorraine (Ed) Michelson, George (Liz) Pearce, Bonnie (Randy) Lindblad, Loretta (Ed) Jacobson, Eston Pearce and Barbara (Jim) Call; 17 grandchildren, Gayle (Matt) Kinney, Chris (Laurie) Pearce, Carrie (Dusty) Breen, Jason Dahlin, Amber (Brice) Anderson, Erica (David) Kelly, Ryan (Michelle) Blair, Crystal Maillet, Tiffany Pearce, Anna Dean, Dylan (Danielle) Martin and J.D. (Sarah) Pearce, Keane (Laila) Lindblad, Tierney Lindblad, Kristi, Nicole and Jodi Jacobson; and 20 great-grandchildren, Zak, Eden and Aspen Kinney, Josie Pearce, Kylee and Wyatt Breen, Makenna and Makinley Dahlin, Emily, Dylan and Ella Kelly, Trinity, Kaytlin and J.P. Blair, Dominique Maillet, Kelsey Martin, T.J. Fellows, Camelia Lindblad, Ashlee Jacobson and Micah Kemery; with a set of twins due this summer. She is also survived by her sister, Eileen Long; brother, Wallace Hill; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Mattie E. Workman; stepfather, Lawrence Workman; father, Carl S. Hill; and brothers, Robert and Warren Hill. Anna leaves a family tree of over 50 people who already miss her dearly.
She can be remembered as a former bowler, a fan of camping, who frequently took her grandchildren and even their friends to Thousand Trails to enjoy putt putt golf, swimming, trails and campfires. She enjoyed crafting, sewing and weaving. In the years after retiring from her formal working career as Lewis County Deputy Auditor in 1989, Anna had her own shop in Chehalis called “Grams Handwoven & Gifts”. She later worked for Oak Grove Dental, owned by her son-in-law and daughter, until retiring a final time in 2014. She was a 40 year member of the Chehalis Eagles Aerie #1550 and a lifetime member of Soroptimist International of Centralia-Chehalis.
Anna loved animals and fondly talked about all her pets when she was a child. In her adult life she loved her poodle, Mr. French, Charlie dog and an old English sheepdog named Buster, who no doubt inspired more than one sheep dog knickknack in her house. Later, Anna’s pride and joy was a Bouvier des Flandres named Lady and finally a cat named Twerp that only she could love.
There is no right time to lose a woman of Anna Lou’s caliber. She lived for 49 years within view of W.F. West High School where several of her children and grandchildren graduated from. However, just last summer she relocated to a cottage at Woodland Estates where she was enjoying socializing and doing activities with others including her best friend, Connie.
A memorial service is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., Thursday, April 19, 2018, at Claquato Cemetery, 142 Stearns Rd., Chehalis. Wash., and will be officiated by Pastor Marcus Kelly.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P. O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142 or the Lewis County Animal Shelter, 560 Centralia Alpha Rd., Chehalis, WA 98532.
