Carolyn Marie Specker

Carolyn Marie Beven Specker was born on November 19, 1932, in Escondido CA, into a Christian family, with Quaker and Methodist heritage. She was the youngest of four children: with two brothers and a sister. Her father, William Fred Beven, and mother, Esther McDonald, raised avocados and oranges for Sunkist and taught the family about good values and hard work. Carolyn was very skilled and popular. She sang and played the piano beautifully in school and church and continued throughout her life. She also played clarinet and glockenspiel in school and parades, and later played the handbells in church. She joined Job's Daughters and became Honored Queen. She enjoyed MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship), drill team, and was senior class treasurer, and student body secretary in college. In 1952, she graduated from Palomar College with an AA degree in business and went to work at SDG&E. A week before turning 21, Carolyn met Marvin Henry Specker, while he was a Marine at Camp Pendleton. They were married eight months later, on July 3, 1954, in Escondido, CA. Carolyn and Marvin had three children: Gerri LeAnn, in Wenatchee, WA, Lisa Dawn, in Seattle, WA, and Christopher Grant, in Worcester, MA. After living a few years in Massachusetts, in 1964, they moved to Northridge, CA, where they lived for 11 years. Carolyn had a soft heart for pets and animals. Her family was always surrounded by dogs, cats, and many other pets. She was active in Girl Scouting, as a troop leader and trainer for many years. She enjoyed sewing, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, quilting, and stained glass. She loved collecting small figurines and Christmas ornaments, especially from Hallmark (the "H" store in her later years). Carolyn and Marvin had many hobbies and interests together. They remained active in church, and enjoyed playing bridge, square dancing, travelling, and RVing with family and friends. They became active in Marriage Encounter, which they credited with strengthening their love and partnership. In 1977, they bravely moved the family to a 35-acre orchard of apples and pears, near Yakima WA, closer to Marvin's family, where they gained new skills and continued their interests. In 1985, they moved to Kirkland, WA, to be near their, now adult, children and grandchildren (Allison Marie and later, Leighton David were born to Lisa and John Evans). Carolyn received a diploma in Business Computer Training, in 1986, and worked for GeoEngineers in Bellevue, WA. She loved family gatherings of all kinds, from the large extended family in Escondido, to family reunions, and our smaller family annual gatherings for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and apple cider pressing. She was a prolific letter writer and tended to make friends for life. She also wrote short stories about her life, pets, and relatives. (Many of the stories here are from her own life story.) They retired to Wenatchee, in 1999. There, they found a cute gingerbread house, two blocks from where Marvin grew up. There, they always had an amazing garden, and her roses and flowers were brilliant. She lost Marvin, in 2012, to a heart attack. She stayed in her home for some years, with frequent visitors and trips with family, until dementia slowly crept in. She passed away peacefully on February 21, 2021 at 88. She was AMAZING! Carolyn is survived by older sister, Jean Ostrow; children: Gerri Specker, Lisa Evans, and Chris Specker; and grandchildren: Allison Tobin and David Evans. Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband; parents; and brothers: Raymond and Kenneth Beven. The family extends their deepest appreciation to the staff at Blossom Creek Memory Care, in Wenatchee, who took such wonderful care of Carolyn for the final five years of her life. A small Memorial Service will be planned for putting her ashes with Marvin's, at the Saddlerock EPC Memorial Garden, in Wenatchee. We will plan a larger one next year, when we will be moving both Marvin and Carolyn to a Veterans Cemetery. For more info or cards, please send to Carolyn Specker, 111 140th St. SE, Everett, WA, 98208. Arrangements assisted by Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee, WA.

Carolyn Marie Specker

November 19, 1932 - February 21, 2021