February 28, 1924 ~ November 9, 2015

Born in Pasadena, CA and raised in Southern California, Winnie moved to Seattle, WA in 1940. She lived in the Burien area since 1947, where she raised her children.

During WWII, she was one of the first women to work at Boeing, working to manufacture small electrical parts and wiring ‘boards’. She later installed those parts in B-17s. This earned her status as a “Rosie,” for which she was honored in 2015 by The Washington Women in Trades.

As a professional woman in the workplace beginning in 1957, Winnie was ahead of her time. At Boeing she started working as a draftsperson and after taking many job training courses, she advanced to technical writing and editing, then to system analyst. She worked in real estate in the early 70’s during the big Boeing layoff. Winnie retired after 32 years with Boeing.

She graduated from City University in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Administration, fulfilling her lifelong dream of a college degree. She was interested in parapsychology and led a related study group for many years.

In 1980 Winnie married George Lobdell, blending a family with six adult children and 11 grandchildren. Sharing a passion for travel near and far, she and George travelled together extensively. After the Berlin Wall came down, in what was one of her most memorable trips, Winnie travelled alone to study Sports Massage in Russia. After George died in 2003, she cruised to Hawaii and the Mediterranean with friends.
Maintaining an active social life into her 90s, Winnie took fitness classes at Burien Community Center, was Queen of the Belles of Burien (a Red Hat Chapter) and went to Las Vegas annually. She enjoyed reading, working on her computer, studying the financial market, quilting and attending theater and music events.
Predeceased by her parents, Elsie (Svoboda) and Edgar J. Pearcy; sister, Velma; brothers, Richard and Irvin; first husband and father of her children, Thomas Stuart Parks; husband, George Lobdell; son, Larry Parks; step-daughters, Diana Tucker and Kathy Blaha; and granddaughter, Susan Blaha, Winnie is survived by her daughter, Tina Phipps; son, Richard (Liz) Parks; step-son, Marty (Liz) Lobdell; step-son-in-law, Johnny Blaha; grandchildren, Joelle Phipps (Craig Lenger), Daniel Phipps, Jeff (Albina) Parks, Matt Parks, Kat (Ryan) Iskenderian, Kim (Brian) Barnett, Tami Tucker, Josh Tucker, Beth (CJ) Edwards, Kris (Emily) Lobdell; and many great-grandchildren. Winnie will be missed by her family and many good friends.

A celebration of a life well lived will be held February 28, 2016 (what would have been Winnie’s 92nd birthday), 3:30 p.m., at the Burien Community Center. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to The City of Hope, The Muscular Dystrophy Association or The Washington Women in Trades.

Guestbook: www.Edline-Yahn.com

Published in The Highline Times Section of The Westside Weekly November 20, 2015