Martha J. Brynildsen passed away November 10th, 2007 in Seattle, WA.

Mom was born in Plainview Minnesota, in 1927. She was one of 15 children of James and Aileen Carpenter. The family relocated to Bellingham, WA where Mom spent her early years. She attended school at Assumption Catholic School and graduated from Bellingham High School. It was in Bellingham where she met and married Gil Brynildsen at Assumption Church in 1947. Dad and Mom were married for 40 years until his death in 1987.

Mom was very active in church and community all her life. After they were married, Mom and Dad moved to Mount Vernon, where Dad was a Lieutenant on the Mount Vernon Police Department, and later retired from Shell Oil Company, in Anacortes. They were life long members of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Mom was very active in her altar society; she was the first woman President of Immaculate Conception PTA and was President of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women (ACCW), Treasurer for the St. Vincent DePaul Society, secretary at Immaculate Conception School and many other church committees and leadership roles through the years. Mom was also a member of the Women of the Moose, the Elks Club and 20 year volunteer at Skagit Valley Hospital.

Mom's other love of her life was sports. As children we remember Mom spending the evenings listening to the Dodgers baseball games and Seattle University Basketball, while doing her ironing and canning. Mom was excited when the Mariners and Seahawks arrived in Seattle, and rarely missed watching a game.

Mom is survived by her three children: Ben Brynildsen, Seattle, WA, Rick Brynildsen, Richmond, VA and Barbara Brynildsen, Edgewood, WA.

We would like to thank all of Mom's many friends for their support.

Viewing will be held Thursday, November 15, 2007, 12:00 pm until 4:30 pm at Hawthorne Funeral Home and 5:00 pm until the Rosary, 7:00 pm, and Friday, November 16, 2007, 9:00 am until the Funeral Mass, 12:15 pm at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, followed by the committal at Hawthorne Memorial Park. Following the committal a reception will be held at St. Charles Catholic Church, 935 Peterson Rd. in Burlington.

Memorials may be made in Martha's name to St. Vincent De Paul Society, C/O Skagit Valley Catholic Churches, 215 No. 15th St., Mount Vernon WA 98273.

Please share your thoughts of Martha and sign the online guest register at www.hawthornefh.com.

Arrangements are under the care of Hawthorne Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 1825 E College Way, Mount Vernon.

Published in Skagit Valley Herald Publishing Company from November 14 to November 15, 2007