Greta Crabtree of Lynden, age 99, passed away peacefully on Feb. 27, 2018, just three weeks shy of her 100th birthday, at the Christian Health Care Center in Lynden.
The second of six children, Greta was born on March 18, 1918, to Frank and Elsie (Matter) VandenBerg at their homestead in Burdette, Alberta, Canada. Her family moved to Lynden when she was 5 years old. She attended Lynden Christian School through eighth grade and graduated from Lynden High School in 1937.
In 1941 she married Colby Crabtree and together they operated a dairy farm on East Pole Road near Everson where they raised their four children before moving back to Lynden in 1994.
Greta was a longtime member of the Word of Life Church in Lynden where she was active in the seniors’ Young at Heart group. Because of her artistic and creative abilities, she often decorated for their many events. Greta loved singing in the choir and with a group that sang at various retirement homes. She was an accomplished seamstress making clothes for her daughters and herself. She also made performance shirts for the Nooksack Valley Riders when they performed at the Northwest Washington Fair. Greta worked as a field boss for Arneson Berry Farms for several summers.
Her greatest joy was spending time with family, whether it was watching their various sporting events or providing her delicious homemade dinner rolls at their family gatherings. A special event in Greta’s life was her baptism in the River Jordan while on a trip to Israel. In retirement Greta and Colby traveled in their motorhome, spending winters with friends in Yuma, Arizona. One of her favorite pastimes was watching the Seattle Mariners.
Besides her parents, Greta was preceded in death by her husband, Colby, in 2004; sisters Anne, Adriana, Reka and Tena; brother Adrian; and stillborn great-grandson Isaiah Smith. Survivors include daughters Ione (Ron) Gienger of Lynden and Sherry (Doug) Smith of Kent; sons Tom Crabtree of Everson and Doug (Karen) Crabtree of Lynden; 10 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; and numerous other relatives.
You are invited to visitation from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 16, in Gillies Funeral Home of Lynden. Burial will be at 12:45 p.m. Saturday, March 17, in Monumenta Cemetery followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m. in Whatcom New Life Assembly, 2290 Main St., Ferndale.
Memorials may be made to the Christian Health Care Center, 855 Aaron Dr., Lynden, WA 98264.
You are invited to share your memories and condolences in the online guestbook at www.gilliesfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
