Christy Schwald, beloved wife, mom, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend and community member, passed in peace at Enso House in Freeland on Nov. 8, 2011.

Christy, born Christine Ruth to Olive and Clarence Svendsen in Seattle on Dec. 20, 1939, grew up in Ballard, graduated from Ballard High School and later earned a degree in accounting from North Seattle Community College.

She raised her two daughters, and lived in Seattle until she moved to Greenbank in 1987 and married Spike (Charles) Schwald; the couple had 24 joyful years together.

Cherished companion, wife, and friend to Spike, the two lived out their dream of traveling and exploring every state in the union. In doing so, they forged close friendships with other travelers, and especially enjoyed their “winter community” in Blythe, Calif. Their loving bond was strengthened by the fun they shared and by their close relationship with their Trinity Lutheran Church family where Christy was a lefse-maker, choir alto, member of the Thursday Morning Bible Study Group and WELCA, and was always ready to lend her hands and her heart.

Christy’s Norwegian heritage was an important part of her life. Her Christmas cookies were legendary. She treasured her visits with her cousins in Norway, sang in the Norwegian Ladies’ Chorus of Seattle, was a member of the Leif Erikson Lodge, Sons of Norway, and a member of the Daughters of Norway, Ester Moe Lodge on Whidbey Island.

An avid reader, she belonged to the Reading on the Rock Book Club, and was a much-loved member of Chapter IH (Langley) of the PEO Sisterhood.

Christy was a devoted mother and grandmother to the blended family she and Spike shared: loving mom to her daughters Karen Parker (husband, Greg) of Poulsbo, Barbara Seeger (husband, Doug) of Port Orchard, and Spike’s daughter and son, Nancy DeMello of Seattle and Scott Schwald (wife, Linda) of Wasilla, Alaska; doting grandma to Christine and Annadele Parker, Kathryn Arnold (husband, Jason), Sarah Schwald and Carissa DeMello. She also leaves behind her sister, Julie Svendsen, of Ballard, and brother, Robert Arthur Svendsen of Vashon Island, her cousin, Ann Svendsen-Mann of Edmonds, and seven nieces and nephews. She joins her parents, in death, and her brother, Mark.

Spike, along with the entire family, is grateful for the loving support of Pastors Jim Lindus and Dennis Hanson of Trinity Lutheran Church, and the wonderful care provided by Whidbey General Hospital’s Hospice Services and Enso House.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, to be divided between the two hospice organizations.