Obituary of Alice M. Burrill

Alice M. (Ulven) Burrill, of Poulsbo, died Saturday, July 2, 2005, surrounded by family, at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia. She had suffered a brain hemorrhage several hours earlier. A week before her death, Alice celebrated her 90th birthday at a party at Island Lake Park in Kitsap County.Alice was born in a farm house near Dale, MN, June 7, 1915 to Annie M. Halvorson and Andrew J. Ulven, immigrants from Norway. She graduated from Moorhead High School in 1934. Alice met the love of her life at a 4th of July dance at Cormorant Lake, MN, in 1931. Alice and Leighton Herman Burrill were married on June 23, 1939 in Glyndon, MN. They spent most of their early married years in Hawley, MN. In 1953 Alice and Leighton moved to Selah, WA where they operated a successful apple, pear, and cherry orchard until they retired in 1977. They built a home at Kala Point, Port Townsend in 1982, doing most of the work with their own hands. In 1990 they moved to Poulsbo where Alice was living at the time of her death. Alice and Leighton spent many happy winters as “snowbirds” in Mesa, AZ in the 1980s. Alice traveled to Europe twice and visited the farm in Norway where her father had lived as a boy. Alice was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt. She loved music and made sure that her children took piano lessons. Her childhood dream was to be a nurse but instead she lovingly nurtured her children and grandchildren. Survivors include a son, Leighton H. Burrill, Jr. of Poulsbo (Linda); three daughters, Janet L. Bryant of Seattle, Dianne B. Laslie of Olympia (Cobb), and Barbara L. Burrill of Seattle (Lee Raaen); seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Leighton, six brothers, two sisters, and great-granddaughter Julia Frisk. Memorial services will be held at noon Sunday, August 7 at Central Evangelical Lutheran Church in Yakima, WA. The family suggests that remembrances be made to Julia’s Gardens Heart Foundation (www.juliasgardens.org).