Mary "Gwin Hesse" E. Williamson

Mary passed away December 31, 2014, at Mother Joseph Care Center in Olympia, Washington. She was 89 years old. Mary was born August 27, 1925, in Seattle, Washington, to Walter Carter Gwin, a carpenter (and later the first Steelworkers’ Union President in Seattle), and Monica Gertrude Grell Gwin, a homemaker (and later a Boeing “Rosie the Riveter” during WWII). Mary was a King County resident for 69 years before moving to South Sound 20 years ago. She has spent the last four years at Garden Courte Memory Care. Mary was an avid student, graduating high school early and was salutatorian of her Maple Valley Tahoma High School’s graduating class, receiving a full scholarship to Reed College. Instead, she attended and graduated from Business College in Seattle, working most of her career in the banking and real estate industry as an escrow officer in King County. As one of the first women executives in Seattle, she began her escrow career with attorney Herbert Droker. She retired from HomeStreet Bank in 1990. She married Gordon Hesse on June 20, 1947, in Seattle, and had four children, the lights of her life. As a single working mother, she was proud to purchase a brand new custom built house for her four small children. She married Arnold Williamson on September 27, 1958, in Tacoma, Washington. (Both marriages ended in dissolution.) Mary was gifted with wit, a wry sense of humor, generosity, kindness, fairness, honesty, gentleness, tenacity, resourcefulness and had admiration for all living things and nature’s beauty and bounty. She enjoyed music (piano playing, band membership playing the trumpet and church choir), roller skating, square dancing, gardening and reading. She belonged to the Children’s Orthopedic Guild, the Escrow Officer’s Association and various churches. Her indomitable spirit continues to be an inspiration to her children, extended family and others. Mary is survived by daughters Ramona (Gary) Fultz and Laurie Hesse; son Franklin (Kathy) Hesse; grandchildren Arne Valdez, Sara Hesse Vanderpool, Brian Hesse, Jason Hesse and Katrina Thiessen; eight great grandchildren; and sisters Patricia Haugen and Suzanne Gwin; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded by son George Hesse; grandson Eric Valdez; and brother Walter Gwin. Please leave memories of Mary or condolences for the family in the Guestbook below.