Gloria Darlene Burnham, of North Bend, Washington, age 96, passed away on March 20, 2019. She was born January 17, 1923, in Aberdeen, South Dakota to the late Theodore Swingel and Effie (Judkins) Swingel. She joined an older brother Gordon. Gordon was a WW2 fighter pilot suffering from PTSD and the family lost track of him in the 1950’s.

Gloria grew up in Aberdeen, South Dakota and remembers really cold winters. The family was really poor and Gloria wore hand-me-down shoes that were nice but too small. She attributed her many foot problems later in life to those ill-fitting shoes. After graduating from Aberdeen High School in 1941, she moved with her aunt and uncle, Edna (Judkins) and Martin Torguson and cousin, Don Torguson to Snoqualmie Falls (Meadowbrook). Living next door was the Burnham family; a family of one girl and a house full of boys. She met Morris Burnham and they married on February 6, 1943 in a double wedding, with Morris’s brother Richard and Clara (Slettedahn) Burnham at Nazarene Church in Snoqualmie.

Gloria spoke her mind and had the ability to take charge and run things. When Gloria first arrived in Washington she worked at the Weyerhauser Hospital in Snoqualmie Falls. It was easy for Gloria to speak her mind and she had no fear so it made sense for her to run the Men’s ward at the hospital. While Morris served as an Honor Guard in Europe during WW2, she continued to work at the hospital. When Morris came home from the war, they lived in Meadowbrook until they had a home built in North Bend in the 1960’s. Gloria continued to work in Snoqualmie Medical Clinics until her retirement. They had no children but they did have many nieces and nephews.

The Burnham boys loved to hunt and fish and there were many camping trips. Gloria was a great fisherwoman and cook. Gloria and her husband Morris went on a mission trip to Costa Rica and Gloria avidly remembered the music from the Costa Rica choir.

Gloria is predeceased by her husband Morris Burnham in 2007. She is survived by her cousins, Don Torguson of North Bend, WA, Mary Ellen Rein of Salem OR, Carol Eads of Beaverton, OR and Marjorie Simmons of Coos Bay, OR.

The memorial service will be Saturday April 27th, 11 am at Snoqualmie Church of the Nazarene located at 39051 SE Park Street, Snoqualmie, WA where Morris and Gloria were married in 1943 and have been members for a lifetime. Following the service at 2 pm there will be a graveside ceremony at Mt Si Cemetery for Morris and Gloria Burnham.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Snoqualmie Church of the Nazarene PO Box 2014, Snoqualmie, WA 98065