October 21, 2009

Georgia McLean

Georgia Lee McLean, 76, of Sammamish, Wash., passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009, at the Regional Health Care Hospital in Seattle, Wash. Funeral services were held Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009, at Sunset Hills Funeral Home in Bellevue, Wash.
Georgia Johnson McLean was born on Oct. 30, 1932, to James and Myrtle (Gilbertson) Johnson in rural Pelican Rapids, Minn. She was their only child. Georgia excelled in many areas in her growing up years. She was very involved in 4-H. She won many awards in public speaking and was even the “Make It with Wool” princess. She graduated from Detroit Lakes High School in the class of 1950. Shortly after graduation, she followed her parents and her cousin, Margie, to the state of Washington. While she was there, she had a variety of jobs but primarily in the secretarial field.
While in Washington, she met the love of her life, Frederick McLean. It was a love-at-first-sight relationship. They were married on Jun2 26, 1954, only a few short months after meeting each other at a dance. To this union five children were born. Frederick’s life was cut short at the young age of 42. Being only 36 years old and with five small children, Georgia had a lot of decisions on her plate. Even though life wasn’t the easiest for her, you would have never known it by looking at her.
She took each day as it was given her. There were never any regrets or pity parties. Each person was always treated with respect and in the positive light. She always saw the good in everyone and never judged anyone. She was a simple woman that loved her family very dearly. Just holding a hand of a loved one was a very special time for her. She enjoyed traveling, whether it was with her son, Jim, in his semi to eastern Washington or to Maui or Mexico with her daughters and grandchildren. She had many trips to her native state of Minnesota and made stops along the way to see her oldest daughter and family in North Dakota.
Georgia is survived by her children, Debra (Robert) Wisness, Arnegard, N.D., LeAnn McLean, Kirkland, Wash., Jim McLean, Sammamish, Wash., Mark (Julie) McLean, Seattle, Wash., and Tammy McLean, Redmond, Wash; six grandchildren and one great-grandchild whom she got to meet a short time before her death; her special cousin, Marjorie (Lawrence) Reese, Bainbridge Island, Wash.; aunts Lorrine Hanson and Vernice Gandrud, Detroit Lakes, Minn.; sister-in-law Patricia (Ray) Brown, Indiana; and numerous cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant brother and the lover of her life, Frederick.

WATFORD CITY WEATHER