On Wednesday, August 28, Mildred Wyrsch, loving wife and mother of three, passed away at the age of 95.
“Millie” was born Mildred Doris Gustafson on June 4, 1924 at Snoqualmie Falls Hospital in Snoqualmie Falls, WA. Her parents, Lars Gustafson and Elizabeth Johnson, immigrated from Sweden and settled in Snoqualmie in 1921. She had two sisters (Alyce, Helen) and a brother (Theodore). Some of her favorite childhood memories were going to parties at the Moose Hall where she slept on the coats while everyone danced the night away and making the drive to North Bend for ice cream where they would eat it in the car and watch the traffic go by.
After graduating from Snoqualmie High School, she attended the Metropolitan Business College in Seattle and landed an office job at the Snoqualmie Falls Lumber Co. About this time, she started going out with George Wyrsch. George was ten years her senior, a divorcee and playing the field (Millie’s words). George Wyrsch fell head over heels for her saying, “The best day of my life was when I met Millie.” On their second date, he told her he loved her. Every day for three years, George wrote her “Dearest darling Millie” letters while he served in the Army in WWII. George came home from the War in January 1946 and on February 16th, 1946 they were married at the North Bend Community Church.
George and Millie had a very happy marriage and three children: George Wyrsch Jr. was born in 1947, Carolyn in 1949 and Mary Ellen in 1952. George worked long days at their gas station while Mildred was busy raising kids and taking care of the house. Tragedy struck their happy life in September 1959 when Millie took Mary Ellen for a drive to look at new homes. Coming back, they had a terrible car crash. Mary was killed instantly and Mildred was in a coma for 3 days.
Millie was very proud of her family. George married Sharon Stevens and they had two children: Bryan (married Tessa Baker), and Deborah (married Steve Moller). Carolyn married Paul Kriegel and they had two children: Jeffrey (Kelcy West) and Timothy (Nora Luz Emerson). She has 8 great-grandchildren: Molly & Charley Wyrsch, Ellie & Lucy Kriegel, Tyler& Jack Lukas and Nico & Leia Kriegel. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren have many memories of apple jacks, root beer floats and ice cream sundaes with Grandma. She had beautiful sparkling blue eyes and an amazing smile that lit up the room. George and Mildred loved shiny new cars, dancing and traveling.
“We have had a wonderful life and a great family. Life is truly beautiful!” — Mildred Wyrsch
