Marva Lee Daryl (Wohlman) “Lee” Langsted of Seattle, WA died December 20th 2022, peacefully in her sleep, although quite suddenly. She had been diagnosed with COPD years earlier and Acute Sleep Apnea just days before.
Born in Cedar County, Nebraska on May 5, 1929, to Edward Henry Wohlman and Mildred Albertine (Anderson) Wohlman, she was the eldest of three. Her birth order and growing up towards the end of the Great Depression, helped to shape her outlook on life. Her parents both worked in the meat packing industry in Minnesota, and struggled financially with their growing family. Laurine was born in 1932 and Marvin in 1937. In 1943 Ed and Mildred moved the family to the Auburn/Renton area in Washington. Lee attended school in Renton and Auburn while her parents worked as dairy farmers. She excelled in school and sports, proudly earning a letterwoman’s sweater and was active in various clubs. Never one to relish life on the farm, Lee set her sights on the big city of Seattle soon after graduation. She first worked at the Ford Motor Company as a comptometer operator. Later she worked in the office of Langendorf Bakery. On her last day there, she serendipitously met Jim, it was Feb. 1948. Lee was dating another boy at the time, but Jim pursued her, and she broke up with the other boy. By February 1949, exactly one year after their first meeting, Jim presented a diamond ring and asked her to marry him. She turned him down, telling him they were both too young (19 years old). He put the ring away, and she hoped it wasn´t the last time she’d see it. A year to the day later, he proposed again, and she accepted. It was Feb 1950 and Jim wanted to marry as soon as possible. The Korean Conflict was on everyone’s minds. They married September 23, 1950 and Jim enlisted in the US Navy soon after. Lee spent the next 4 years driving to the far corners of the US, working and living in Long Beach, CA & Wilmington, Delaware among other places so that she could be wherever Jim’s ship was docked for any length of time. In 1956, she and Jim bought the house in Bellevue where they lived for the next 30 years raising their three daughters. Jim and his brother, Ole were the proprietors of a Gai’s Bakery products delivery company, The Eastside Bakery Service, and Lee worked as the bookkeeper while raising their daughters. An accomplished seamstress, she often sewed matching outfits for herself and her three girls.
In the late 70’s the brothers sold their business to Gai’s and went to work for the bakery. With a little time on her hands, she completed courses in tourism at Highline Community College, which qualified her to work as a travel agent. Lee started with Society Expeditions, a luxury tour company in Seattle, which indulged her greatest passion - travel. With Jim in tow, she traveled to all the continents of the world, China, Africa, Southeast Asia, South America, the Galapagos,
Antarctica, and frequently to Denmark & Europe. Lee left Society Expeditions after 20 years. She was the assistant to the director. Soon after, Jim retired, and they moved to Birch Bay, where they continued to travel, take trips to Canada & the San Juan Islands on Jim’s sailboat, and spend time with friends and family. After Jim’s death in 2003, Lee moved to Everett where she continued to enjoy traveling and her other interests. She played pinochle and socialized regularly with her friends in ¨the village¨. At the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society, Lee taught others the skills for discovering their ancestry that she had honed over the previous 50 years - long before Ancestry.com and 23andMe!
Lee was always taking pictures, documenting the family history - her nieces and nephews will remember well how she would pose everyone for a photo - no photo bombs or selfies, and seldom an action shot for Lee. Sometimes affectionately referred to as “Mrs. Kodak”. She was an avid reader, took acute interest in a variety of topics, and was a loyal defender of her friends, family, and political causes. She was curious about everything and even mastered texting on an iPhone at 90.
In 2018, she decided to move to what is now Cogir Northgate, and convinced her sister, Laurine, to move there too. Laurine, her beloved sister, closest friend and companion, misses Lee terribly after depending on and taking care of each other their entire lives
Lee is survived by daughters Jane (Greg) Grostick, Seattle, WA and Cynthia (Mark) Konecny, Bothell, WA, grandchildren, Justin Konecny and Stephen (Heather) Konecny, great grandchildren, Eleanor Konecny-Taylor & Miles Taylor-Helgeson, sister, Laurine Booth and several nieces, nephews, and good friends.
Lee was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 53 years, James B Langsted, her youngest daughter, Karren Langsted Hills, and her brother Marvin Wohlman. Memorial service/celebration of life will be held at Maple Leaf Lutheran church on Thursday January 26th at 10AM.
In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to the charity of your choice. Lee supported many charitable organizations over the years, so the one you choose is quite likely one she would have suggested.