Obituary of Raulyne Anne Peckham

None Raulyne Peckham passed away quietly and peacefully on the morning of May 3, 2012 in her home in Olympia, Washington. She was born to Herbert and Ruth Riley in Inglewood, California on February 27, 1926. Among Raulyne’s greatest joys was her family. She was the widow of William H. Peckham who passed away in 1989. Three daughters survive Raulyne; Melodie Bakala and her husband Rich, Sylvia Orwig, Merry Peckham and her partner Robin. Five grandchildren also survive her; Melanie Bakala and her husband Jim, Paul Bakala and his wife Stacey, Harmony Rae, Alexandra Brian and Jordan Brian. Raulyne was fortunate and thrilled to have enjoyed years with her great grandchildren; Maddie Leigh, Sierra, Jimmy, Lauryn, Nathan, Mallory, Chad, Autumn, Hadrian, Kameesha, Malachai. Known to her friends as "Rauly", to her children she was "Mother", "Mom", "Mumther", "Mama" and "Mamasita". To her grandchildren she was "Granny" to her great grandchildren she was "GG" (short for Great Grandmother) a nickname which eventually all of her extended family adopted. Rauly, aka "GG", was magnificent with children. She loved to be with them and they felt her love and reciprocated it easily. All of her grandchildren and great grand children have stories of joyous times with "GG" that put her on a par with Mary Poppins and Santa Claus. In her early professional life, Rauly was a passionate and gifted educator. She spent much of her career as a classroom teacher at the elementary and high school levels. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Santa Barbara and did additional graduate studies in California and Arizona. Rauly loved music and was a prolific musician. She taught music at St. Michael's school as well as teaching piano to almost every child living within a thirty block radius of her home, plus a few more. In the recent past Rauly was a member of a musical trio called, "Anything Goes" performing alongside Ralph Thiers and Jim Binkerd in most of the regions' Senior Centers. Rauly was the type of person who was never idol. She embraced "projects" like nobody's business, was a collector and a shopper of special treasures for her loved-ones. An artist and a crafts-person Rauly was always involved in creative endeavors from drawing and painting to jewelry and doll making. Rauly also took great pleasure in planning and decorating for special events and get-togethers with her beloved friends and she especially loved to spend time with her dear friend Eve Mongillo. Rauly was baptized in the Unity Church. Throughout her life, her spirituality was important to her and in recent years she loved attending the United Churches as well as Quaker Friends meetings. Please sign the guestbook below.