November 17, 1916 to February 4, 2008
Edna (Mundt) Nyberg was born in Rosalia, Wash. on November 17, 1916 to Henry and Amalia (Wernz) Mundt, receiving her early education there and graduating in 1934 as valedictorian of her class. She then attended Cheney Normal School (now Eastern Washington University) in Cheney, Wash., and upon graduation began her career as a teacher in Chewelah, Wash., about 50 miles north of Spokane. In the early 1940s, she moved to the Seattle area, teaching in the Kent School District and later transferred to the Seattle School District, teaching at Dunlap Elementary School.
In the early 1960, she was assigned as principal to Fauntleroy Elementary and at that time was the youngest woman ever hired as an elementary school principal in the Seattle School District. She later transferred to Gatewood Elementary school where she continued until retiring in the early 1970s. She was very proud of the Golden Acorn pin awarded to her by the Fauntleroy PTA.
While she was at Fauntleroy, she met and married the love of her life, Darigold milkman Carl Nyberg. Carl was a sweet and kind man who brought joy to Edna's life. They were married in July of 1963. She and Carl spent many happy years in their home on Gatewood Hill, traveling yearly to Butte, Montana where Carl was born
Edna loved to play the slot machines and was always a lucky winner. In her later years, macular degeneration caused her to use a white cane to get around. This did not stop Edna from her weekly trip to the hairdresser and to the West Seattle Junction to shop. Former students would often greet her, introducing themselves and she always remembered them. In 2006 Joan (Goodwin) McDowell, daughter of the late Erma Goodwin, gave a 90th birthday party. People from throughout the state came to celebrate that milestone with her.
Edna was an unassuming humble woman, a stern disciplinarian and administrator, running a tight ship in the days when a woman principal had to be twice as good as a man. Under her administration boys were taught woodworking and both boys and girls were taught to sew on a sewing machine. Her many former students from the West Seattle area include politicians, attorneys, school principals, teachers and other highly successful members of society. Those students credit Edna with instilling in them the strong basics and disciplines for a successful and fulfilling life as contributing members of society.
Edna was a member of the Seattle First United Methodist Church, serving on the education board for many years and was on the Board of Directors of Bayview Manor Retirement Home. She was a charter member and a fifty-year member of Delta Kappa Pi, a professional sorority. She also belonged to the Retired Teachers Association and the Teamsters Union enjoying their monthly meetings. Edna met weekly with "the coffee girls," ladies who were in the teaching profession or old college friends.
Her husband Carl and her brother Herman Mundt predeceased her. She is survived by her sister, Irma Smith, nieces; Janice LaCombe (Paul) of Spokane, Wash. and Constance Kreitz, Florence, Oregon; nephews Randy (Kathy) Mundt of Pleasanton, CA, and Jim Mundt, Wisconsin, godchildren Betsy (Bianco) Hall, Sally (Bianco) Martin and Vanessa (Bianco) Brinkman, as well as numerous great nephews & nieces. The family also wishes to acknowledge special gratitude to her neighbors, Arnold, Pamela & Cynthia, who provided so much support and care for her over the past several years. Edna will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Memorial contributions may be made in her name to either the charity of your choice or, the Shriners Hospital for Children, or to Ritecare Washington (formerly Scottish Rite Center for Childhood Language Disorders).
Funeral services were held at Bonney-Watson Parker Chapel in Burien on Feb. 11, 2008 with burial at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. Please sign the online memorial guestbook at www.bonneywatson.com.
