Elizabeth McGuire
Elizabeth McGuire, 78, a resident of North Bend for more than 50 years, passed away on August, 31, 2014, with her daughters, Renate and Lisl Mafli, by her side.
Elizabeth McGuire was born on October 20, 1935 in Bellingham, WA. She grew up in Diablo, Newhalem, and Marblemount, graduating from Concrete High School in 1954 as Salutatorian. She graduated from Western Washington University in 1957 with a BA from the Woodring College of Education. Elizabeth began her teaching career in Sedro Woolley (57-58), and later taught in Pacific Beach (58-60) and Eugene, OR (60-62) before joining the Snoqualmie Valley School District in 1962 where she began teaching at Snoqualmie Falls Elementary. From 1970-77, Elizabeth helped establish the Head Start Preschool program in the Snoqualmie Valley with classes held at the Si View Community Center. She later taught primary education and held different positions within the SVSD, including the first Highly Capable (High C) program at both Fall City Elementary and Opstad Elementary. She retired as a fifth grade teacher from Opstad in 1996.
A lifelong world traveler, Elizabeth traveled to all seven continents, swam in all five oceans, and stuck her feet in most major bodies of water. She visited all but a handful of states in the USA. At 57, she took a year’s sabbatical and backpacked her way around the world. Her last trip abroad was with her granddaughter, visiting four South African countries — ending the trip to stand on the southern tip of the continent.
Elizabeth was also an avid artist and appreciated art in all forms. She was both a potter and a painter, and filled her home with paintings she collected and cultural art from her travels. She loved music and dancing, attending festivals and concerts often. She was a longtime ticketholder at the Seattle REP, ACT and Village Theatre. She was also a rabid sports fan who loved her Seahawks and Mariners.
Throughout her life, Elizabeth was an active volunteer and was involved in the Snoqualmie Valley Arts League, Children’s Orthopedic Hospital Auxiliary, March of Dimes, 2000 Census, Snoqualmie Valley Historical Museum, Mount Si Senior Center, Cedar River Watershed Education Center, Village Theatre, and participated and donated to many organizations close to her heart.
Elizabeth’s greatest joys were her daughters and granddaughter whom she instilled with her strong sense of adventure, zest for travel, passion for life, love for humanity and the environment, exuberant self-expression (and opinions!), and ongoing quest for knowledge, experience, and understanding. She was a woman who truly lived her life!
She is survived by her daughters: Renate Mafli of Redmond and Lisl Mafli and her husband Ricardo Espinoza of North Bend; her granddaughter, Sabeqwa de los Angeles of North Bend; and her brother Mike McGuire and wife Margo of Yakima; a niece and two nephews, and many cousins.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, October 18 from 2-5 p.m. at the Meadowbrook Farm Interpretive Center in North Bend, WA. Plan on wearing purple! Donations may be made to the Mount Si Food Bank.
