Obituary of Mary L. Kittelman Housden Miller

Mary entered into Heaven peacefully from home on April 26, 2013 with her family by her side. She was 87 years old. She was born in Tacoma, Washington on July 12, 1925 to John E. and Silvia (Johnson) Kittelman. Mary spent most of her life in the McKenna/Yelm, Washington area. In 1942, she served in the Women’s Emergency Motor Corps as a First Class Private during WWII. After she graduated in 1944 from the Yelm High School, she moved to Centralia, Washington and worked at the Bus Station as a waitress. She later worked at the telephone company as a switchboard operator where she met and later married Frank Housden on March 15, 1947, after they shared conversations over the phone. She also worked as a Nurse’s Aide at the McKenna Nursing Home and at the old St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, Washington. When St. Peter Hospital moved to a new building, she worked as a Ward Clerk and then later returned to the McKenna Nursing Home as the Medical Records Director until 1987 when she retired. On April 27, 1986, she married Freeman C. Miller of Yelm. They were married in the Yelm Bowling Alley where they met. Mary was a very outgoing, fun loving person who enjoyed her bowling leagues, camping with family and friends, especially digging clams on the Hood Canal, and her trips to Reno. She enjoyed gardening and doing small crafts, and was also well known for teasing and practical jokes. She was an avid Mariner Baseball fan since the day they played their first game. She became well known as “Granny nine pin” and later just called “Granny” by all who knew and loved her. She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Frank Housden, in 1980; and second husband, Freeman Miller, in 2006; all her siblings, three sisters and three brothers. She is survived by her daughter, Diana (Jim) Clevenger; and a son, William (Donna) Housden; six grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, May 6, 2013 at South Sound Manor, 455 North St. SE, Tumwater, WA 98501, with reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Providence Home Care and Hospice. Please leave memories of Mary or condolences for her family in the Guestbook below.