Obituary of Christine Ellen Gowdey

None ~~ If you want to help on the memorial picnic contact Kathy Friedt at kbfriedt@comcast.net or 943-6139. Christine Ellen Gowdey passed on March 7, 2006 in Olympia WA. She will be missed very much by her family and friends. Chris was born on March 13, 1949 and lived primarily in one home in North Seattle above Carkeek Park that her Father designed and helped to build. In the vacant lot next door she and the neighbor kids played “work up” many days and she became a pretty good little baseball player. She was a tomboy who liked to get dirty and climb trees. Chris’ ability to make lasting friends started early--one friendship from her preschool days has continued over 50 years. Chris graduated from Ingram High School and received a BA and MA in Social Work from Western Washington University. She then got her first job as a counselor at Monroe Reformatory, a maximum-security prison. She told amazing stories of her experiences and the loyalty some of the prisoners showed toward her as the only female in an all-male prison. Her work in the prison led her to conclude that the thing inmates need the most upon release is jobs and she moved on to workforce training at the Employment Security Department. This began her state government career that lasted almost two decades and earned a commendation from former Governor Booth Gardner. She managed a number of programs and several of her studies were published. Chris recognized that small business was the source of most new jobs and in an unusual arrangement, while still part of the Employment Security Department, she accepted an assignment with the Department of Community Development (now CTED) to provide small business financing. Hundreds of entrepreneurs throughout the state of Washington benefited from Chris’ dedication to small business and her expertise in finding and applying funding from both private and public sector sources. After giving a course in economic development a banker in the audience approached her and said “That was great—where did you get your MBA?” She had to reply that she didn’t have one. Later, feeling she could be even more effective in the private sector, Chris too became a banker for a short period. Chris had a long-term relationship and marriage with Jerry Malone from whom she later divorced. They hand built a log cabin and log home and Chris became proficient with power saws and chinking. Her father never lived in a home that he was not involved in constructing and except for the last home she bought shortly before her death, Chris followed the same family tradition. Jerry was an adventurer and he would periodically say it was time to stop working and go to Mexico to relax. Chris, the consummate hard worker, would leave for up to six months of good times and lots of fishing! Jerry and Chris had the opportunity to help raise his son Sean who died of AIDS 14 years ago with Chris as his primary caretaker. Sean was beloved by Chris and the inspiration of many changes in Chris’ life including the birth of Wind Up Here in 1993. During her career at Wind Up Here Chris was very active in affairs in Downtown Olympia. She focused on safety and cleanliness issues, starting the semi-annual clean up and a phone tree and, until illness took her away from the store, supervised daily clean up work. She was recognized as Downtown Person of the Year in 2000. Chris’ long-term friendship with Joan Machlis began as a professional collaboration at the State Department of Community Development where they innovated many of the financing tools still used in small business finance. They built and shared a home near Priest Point Park for over 10 years, managed a consulting business in economic development and, together with two other friends, founded and managed Wind Up Here. Joan and everyone else at Wind Up Here became her second family especially after she was first diagnosed with cancer almost 3 years ago. The cancer changed Chris’ life profoundly. It reorganized her priorities, deepened her friendships and strengthened her faith-life that was encouraged and nurtured at the First United Methodist Church of Olympia. Always the innovator and leader Chris was the inspiration for reinstituting the tradition of a healing service at the church. During Chris’ illness many friends and caretakers made it possible for Chris to live with dignity and enormous caring and support in a home setting. Family and friends will be forever grateful for the medical attention from Group Health and especially the oncology staff, her friend Kernie Moeller, and the compassionate support of Hospice that allowed Chris to have her final weeks surrounded by love, medical care, and music. Chris is survived by her parents, Dwight and Dorothy Gowdey of Seattle and her sisters Kathy Hesseltine (Snohomish) and Sharon Gowdey (Seattle), niece Ami McCuaig and grandnephew Malachi Simpson. Chris made requests regarding a simple and joyful celebration of her life. There will be a service at 2 p.m. on March 19th at First United Methodist Church, 1224 Legion Way SE, Olympia, followed by a picnic at the American Legion Hall (formerly The Salmon Club) at the intersection of East Bay Drive and Flora Vista Rd. Memorial gifts can be made to Capital Kids Connection, 2103 Harrison Ave NW, Suite 2756, Olympia WA 98502 or the children’s charity of your choice. Capital Kids Connection works to meet dreams of children being fostered in Thurston and Mason Counties by providing for the important extras like music lessons, camp, fishing poles and clothing for special occassions. Chris had been recently certified but never had the opportunity to foster a child.