Jeanette Clara Haapala

Jeanette Clara Haapala, 91, went to be with her loving Lord and Savior Jesus on September 21, 2023.

She was born February 15, 1932 in Ames, Iowa to Theron and Elsie Barger. Her family moved to the Seattle area and she attended Franklin High School where she graduated in 1950. She would subsequently go on to attend the University of Washington where she earned her degree in Education. She met and married Richard Keller (1954-1965).

She lovingly raised her four children (Doug, Alane, Cathy and Charlie), while working as an elementary school teacher at Edmonds Elementary and College Place Elementary in the Edmonds School District. In 1971 Jeanette was selected by the Edmonds Education Association as Teacher of the Year.

Jeanette’s children have many fond and funny stories of the adventures their mother would take them on such as camping trips, cross country road trips in the old station wagon, or joining other families traveling to Canada. The spirit of exploration and adventure still lives strong in each of them.

In 1977 Jeanette married Andy Haapala, and retired from teaching to become a chicken farmer in Yelm, Washington. For Jeanette, this took her back to her childhood roots of growing up on a farm in Iowa. She would spend many hours with Andy working on the farm, and when she returned home she would tend to her vegetable garden. It was refreshing for Jeanette to be outside working in her garden, or going for walks in their Gig Harbor neighborhood.

Jeanette was a woman of strong faith in Jesus Christ. She lived her faith by serving in her local church’s outreach team by cooking and sewing items for those in need. She loved the old hymns she learned in her younger years, and they still gave her strength near the end. She will always be remembered by the beautiful sewing projects she gave as gifts over the years and by incredible stitch work.

Jeanette is preceded in death by her husband Andy, sisters Margaret and Dorothy and daughter Cathy. She is survived by her children Doug and wife Judy, Alane and husband Ron and Charlie and wife Karen as well as 11 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren