Dr. W. Dean Edmundson, 95, died Feb. 20, 2003, in Seattle. He was born Jan. 31, 1908, in Coupeville, the fourth child of Mary Louana (Manie) Dean and William H. Edmundson. He attended grade school and high school at Coupeville, graduating from Coupeville High School in 1926.
He attended Bellingham Normal (now Western Washington University) for three years, graduating with a junior high teaching certificate. He taught at Foster Elementary south of Seattle. He then served as a junior, then senior high school principal and superintendent of schools.
During this time, he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at University of Washington, married Hazel Ellis of Kent and had two children, Ann and David. For the next two years he served as principal of T.T. Minor Elementary in Seattle. In 1953-54, the family moved to New York City, where he earned his Ph.D. in educational administration. He then served at schools in Seattle and Gary, Ind.
The last 15 years of his 46-year career in education were served as regional superintendent of the eight sub-regions of Detroit Public Schools.
He retired in 1975 and they were able to return to “God’s country — West Seattle.” His hobbies were gardening, cabinet work, wood carving, reading and music as well as symphony and opera.
His wife Hazel died in 1991. He later married his college sweetheart, Louise Stiger, and they lived in Horizon House.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters, Viola Garfield, Esther York, Alice Edmundson and Leah Dahl, his brother Clarence (Clanky) Edmundson and his wife Hazel Ellis Edmundson.
He is survived by his wife Louise, daughter Ann Johnson of Southfield, Mich., and son David and his wife Julie of Elgin, Ill. Granddaughter Darcy and husband Jose Edmundson-Andrade and great-granddaughter Olivia also survive him. Other survivors include numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
Services will be held Sunday, March 9, at Horizon House at 2:30 p.m. Memorials may be made to Northwest Kidney Centers Foundation, Horizon House Associates Fund or Salvation Army.