Obituary of Pearl Burrows

Pearl Burrows passed peacefully on October 17, 2020, one month short of her 90^th birthday.  She lived in the Olympia area for 64 years with her husband, Don Burrows.  She married Don on November 10, 1956, in Renton, Washington.  They moved to Olympia in 1957. 

Pearl loved her family very much.  Her happiest times were when the family would get together for Christmas and other occasions.  She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother to a family who loved her greatly.  One of her greatest joys in life was raising her son, daughter, and two of her grandchildren.  Pearl especially enjoyed the RV trips with her children and grandchildren when they were young.

Pearl was born November 6, 1930, to Gus and Mable Lindberg in Quincy, Massachusetts.  She had a brother, Art, who was six years older than Pearl. The family moved to Washington in 1935 when Pearl was six years old, and settled in the Kennydale area of Renton, Washington.  Pearl lived in the Kennydale house with her parents for 25 years.

While growing up in Kennydale, one of Pearl’s happiest times was when her folks took her to the Sears store in Seattle to buy a new bike.  She continued riding her bike for many years.  When in high school, she and her friend, Royse, rode their bikes up to Bellevue, over to Mercer Island, across the Floating Bridge, through Seward Park in Seattle, and back to Renton.   

She was best friends with her brother, Art.  He would take her on his rural paper rout when she was quite young.  He also took her to the roller skating rink where Pearl learned to skate at a young age.  This resulted in a major change in Pearl’s life.  Roller skating became a lifelong passion.  She became highly skilled in figure and dance skating and continued to skate almost every night for many years.  

Pearl attended grade school in Kennydale and middle and high school in Renton.  She graduated from Renton High School in 1948.  In high school, she was in the school’s choir and participated in girls’ sports.  She was president of the girl’s Letter Club in her senior year.

She worked at her father’s sporting goods store while in high school and a few years after her graduation.  Later, she worked at Boeing until moving to Olympia in 1957.  In Olympia, she volunteered at the YWCA and became the assistant to the Y’s director.  After raising her two children, Ross born in 1961 and Shelley, born in 1962, she worked at the Tumwater Valley Athletic Club.

Pearl had three close women friends, Grace Farren, Patty Hamstreet, and Pauline Nagle that she had coffee with every week for over 50 years.  They became her best friends.

Pearl and Don played tennis and became good friends with their tennis playing friends.  One of their tennis groups was called the All-Chiefs.  That group not only played tennis but had RVs.   Each summer they would spend a week at a state park or private RV park, where they played tennis, had potlucks, and enjoyed each other’s company. 

Another group that Pearl and Don enjoyed was the Pace Arrow Motor Home Club.  The club had about 40 members and would go on weekend outings four times a year.  They became good friends with the Club’s members. 

For several years, Pearl and Don would go to a RV park in Mesa Arizona where they stayed three months during the winter, and enjoyed playing tennis and the company of many friends.

More recently, Pearl and Don belonged to the “budget group,” a small group, which is made up of ex state budget employees and a couple of other retired state workers.  The group met together for lunches, usually at local restaurants.

Pearl enjoyed the cruises and other trips she took with Don, her son, Ross, and his wife, Sue.  She always remembers the time in London when Ross and Sue got on the subway and the subway door closed, leaving her and Don behind.  There were no cell phones then, but fortunately after a few minutes Ross and Sue returned to the subway station before Pearl completely panicked.  Pearl also enjoyed going to the Oregon coast and spending a week with her daughter, Shelley.   

Pearl is survived by her husband, Don; son, Ross; daughter, Shelley; grandsons, Brett, Jesse, and Josh; great grandson Sammy; nieces, Kathy Ryan, Valorie Fisher and Cindy Sterling; and nephews, Bob Burrows, Kent Lindberg and Dean Lindberg.  Her parents and brother, Art, predeceased her ln death.

 Donations in Pearl’s name may be made to the American Heart Association by clicking HERE.

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