Lillian Dean Huffstetler was a descendant from the Kinney Sea Captains of Nova Scotia who arrived on Whidbey Island in the 1800s and from the Dean family that arrived out of Iowa in 1911.
Lillian Dean Huffstetler was born on Dec. 15, 1921, and was the third of four children born on Aloha Farm near Ebey’s Landing. She passed away at her home on Feb. 16, 2012.
She attended grade school in Coupeville with the exception of three years attending school in San De Fuca. She graduated from Coupeville High School as valedictorian and attended WWCE in Bellingham for two years and U of W for the last two years where she joined the Delta Zeta Sorority.
Bill Huffstetler and Lillian were married on Nov. 27, 1943, in Mount Vernon. They had one daughter, Willeta Huffstetler Christensen.
Lillian worked in Alaska for the Civilian Personnel Office and spent 19 years working at Dean Chevrolet for her father and brother.
She was a member of 4-H Club for six years and won a train trip to Chicago in 1939 representing Island County at the National 4-H Congress. It was her first time out of the state. Later she was a 4-H leader for seven years.
She was a life time member of the Coupeville United Methodist Church and held office as the Junior Department superintendent. Lillian was active in the Daughters of Pioneers of Washington, holding offices at the local and state level and volunteered at the Island County Historical Society Museum.
Coupeville was her lifelong residence with the exception of two years in Alaska and two years in China Lake, Calif., as a result of Bill’s employment.
She was preceded in death by her father and mother, Carl and Vera Hancock Dean; her sister, Drusilla Dean Lynch; and brothers, Orlan Dean and Phillip Dean.
She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews; and her daughter and son-in-Law, Willeta Huffstetler Christensen and LeRoy Christensen.
Funeral services were held Feb. 23 at the Coupeville United Methodist Church with burial following at Sunnyside Cemetery. The family suggests donations to the Coupeville United Methodist Church or Island County Historical Society.
