Funeral for Elaine Moline is Wednesday
A funeral for Elaine Moline will be at 1 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, at Bethany Lutheran Church. Elaine, 94, was a longtime beloved member of Bethany, her health compromised in recent years but her spirit still strong. A reception will follow. Here is her obituary:
Elaine Genevieve Moline
Elaine Genevieve (Castor) Moline of Bainbridge Island, Wash., passed away under the care of hospice on Wednesday, March 29, 2017, at the age of 94. She was born in Minneapolis, Minn., on Oct. 20, 1922, to Wilbur and Irene Castor.
Elaine graduated with honors from South High School in Minneapolis, Minn., in 1941 and began her professional career at the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis. She married Martin Moline on Dec. 22, 1944. At the end of World War II, Elaine boarded a train for her first trip ever out of Minnesota to meet her husband in Seattle upon his return from the war. Enthralled by the snow-capped mountains and the vast expanse of sparkling blue water, she said, "I'm never going back," and three days later she had a job at the Federal Reserve Bank in Seattle.
Elaine will be remembered by all who knew her as a very intelligent, caring, capable, generous and hardworking woman. Professionally, in just two years, she worked her way up from being a bookkeeper to becoming the office administrator of a growing law firm, and she was later entrusted with the responsibility of establishing their new branch office in Washington, D.C. After retiring, she began a new career as a part-time bookkeeper for two local construction contractors.
In addition to her career, Elaine enjoyed owning a local ice-cream parlor, performing in and directing plays for the Bainbridge Community Theatre, working with the quilting group at Bethany Lutheran Church, and volunteering at Martha and Mary Health and Rehabilitation Center (Poulsbo) and as a Friend of Bainbridge Library.
She also managed the Law Review course at a local university and was active in the Washington Association for Retarded Children, serving as president of the Kitsap County chapter and as treasurer for the state.
In her spare time, Elaine enjoyed working in her yard, feeding and watching the birds, reading, cooking, entertaining, decorating cakes, boating around Puget Sound with her second husband, Richard Robertson, and reading poetry of all kinds — especially that written by her brother, Gail, and his daughter. One of Elaine’s favorite pastimes was spending time with family and friends, and she found great joy and friendship at Bethany Lutheran Church. She especially enjoyed daily visits with her daughter, Robin, at Island Health and Rehabilitation Center.
Elaine is survived by her daughter, Robin Weiss of Bainbridge Island; grandson Glenn Goodrich (Sonja); and great-grandson Jonas. She is predeceased by her parents and her brother, Gail Castor of Redwood Falls, Minn.