Laurena H. “Rena” Anderson

Laurena H. “Rene’” Anderson, 68, peacefully passed away on Monday, January 30, 2012, at her home in Electric City, surrounded by her loving family, after a battle with cancer. Rena was one of two children, born on November 16, 1943, in Victoria B.C., Canada, to Cecil and Edna Beaman.

When Rena was 5 years old, her family moved from Victoria B.C., Canada, to Yakima, where she met and married her high school sweetheart Ken Anderson on March 29, 1961, and started their family together. Shortly after they were married, they moved to Renton, where they both worked for Boeing. Ken began his own construction business and they moved to Olympia in 1972 where they raised their three daughters.

Her greatest joy was raising and caring for her family, who all have fond memories of the wonderful times spent together at their baseball games, camping trips, vacations and with long time family friends.

Rena was a leader of the Blue Birds and Camp Fire Girls and had both a cleaning and wallpaper hanging business for many years. She was a dedicated member of the Eagles and Moose clubs and enjoyed working on steak night at the Tenino Eagles for many years. She enjoyed going dancing, boating and vacationing with her family and friends. Some of her most memorable vacations were the family’s last trip to Florida in April 2011 to celebrate her and Ken’s 50th wedding anniversary and numerous trips to the Hawaiian Islands. She always enjoyed her Canadian family reunions that were held ever three years and hosted the 2004 reunion in Tymwater, Wash. Rena always had a great time going on road trips with her sister Pearl, and RV camping trips with her mom and stepfather Edna and Chuck. Rena was very adventurous; she water skied, snow skied, snowmobiled, went on white water rafting trips and would drive their RV with the ski boat hitched behind, to many of her favorite camping spots, including Vantage on the Columbia River and several beautiful lakes in Washington state. Rena always enjoyed finding a good deal at garage sales and thrift/antique stores. She loved to put puzzles together and to play card/dice games with her family and friends.

After retiring in 2005, Ken and Rena moved across the mountains to Electric City, developing new friendships and enjoying camping trips in their motor home and looking out their windows each day to their beautiful view of Banks Lake. Rena dedicated much of her time to the community of Electric City. She was a remarkable example of what a wife, mother, grnadmother, friend and citizen can be. She will be dearly missed, but forever close in our hearts.

Preceded in death by her father Cecil Beaman, mother Edna Beaman-Smith, stepfather Charles Smith, brother-in-law Tony Madden, granddaughter Crystal Smith and an infant grandson baby Kenny Smith. Survivors include her loving husband of 50 years, Ken; their three daughters and husbands: Debbie and Tom Pifer of Electric City, Cindy and Tim Bunnell of Olympia and Cherie and Howard Bullett of Tumwater, Wash .; six grandchildren: McKenzie (Pifer) Coleman with husband Casey, Angela Smith, Corey and Raquel Bunnell and Chelan and Taylor Bullett; great-granddaughter Abigail Coleman; sister P\earl Madden; three nieces; three great-newphews; two stepbrothers and her dearest friend Nan Noren.

A memorial service was held Saturday, Feb. 4, at 5 p.m. at Mills & Mills Funeral Home, 5725 Littlerock Rd. SW, Tumwater, Wash., with a reception following. For further information please visit http://www.millsnadmillsfunerals.com