Dorothy Maude Eiden

Maudie Spanning nine decades and four continents, Maudies life began in Japan. After she graduated from Yokohamas International School in 1934, her father moved the family to Shanghai, China. There she met and married her first husband and had her first child, Dorothy. In 1940, they lived in Australia for six months and returned to China just before WWII began in the Pacific. Because of their British citizenship, Maudie and her family were interned in Lunghua Camp by Japanese occupation forces in 1942. After they were liberated, Maudies husband returned to England. Maudie and her daughter accompanied her sister, Amy, newly married to Richard Eiden to the US in 1947. Mother and daughter lived in Vancouver, B.C. from 1948 to 1949 then in London, England for 2 years. Maudies first husband died in Australia in 1950. She married Richard Eidens brother Jim in October 1951. They returned to Washington State where they raised two sons, Mike and Tom, in Lynnwood. Jim died in 1981. St. Thomas More Catholic Church was Maudies spiritual home from the 1960s to 2006. She served her parish working on celebration receptions and as Eucharistic minister. She loved performing as a dancer with the Edmonds Senior Center Swingers. Taking a variety of classes and painting were squeezed into her spare time. She was grateful for her many blessings not the least of which was living these past four years at Cap Sante Court Retirement Center in Anacortes among many good people, especially her friend, Doris Eader. Maudie was preceded in death by her parents, George and Masa Watt and her precious sisters, Eva Abbot and Amy Eiden. She is survived by daughter, Dorothy Smith and her husband Dick; sons, Michael and Thomas Eiden; grandchildren, Mark Rossman, Karen Broder, and Denise Rossman; step-grandson, Bryan Smith and his wife Sylvia, and their children Margaret and Elias; great-grandchildren, Christie Rossman and Amy Redford and great-great grandchild Izzabell Flansburg. We will miss and cherish the memory of our loving mother, friend, and dearest Mimi.