Althea Kate Galbraith, 97, died peacefully in her sleep Tuesday, March 25, in Stevens Hospital, Edmonds, Wash. She was born in Oak Harbor, March 11, 1911, the fourth child of Otto and Wilhelmina (Meyer) VanDyk and sister of Jeanette, William, Garrett, Harriet, and Doris. She was named Aaltje Trientje VanDyk, after her maternal Grandmother Meijer. Geert Willems and Aaltje (Wierenga) Meijer immigrated from Groningen, Netherlands to America in 1873 and came to Oak Harbor in 1898. Althea’s paternal VanDyk ancestors immigrated from Vriesland, Netherlands to Holland, Mich., in 1845. Her grandparents, Gerrit Otto and Jentje (Bovendam) VanDyk, came to Oak Harbor in 1897. They were among the early pioneer families with many of their descendants still living in Oak Harbor. Their son, Otto Gerrit VanDyk, married Wilhelmina Meyer. Following in the footsteps of his carpenter father, Otto built many homes and businesses in the Oak Harbor area that are still standing. In 1912, he designed and built the first round roofed barn west of the Mississippi, which later earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places. It still stands and is known as the Roller Barn. He served on the City Council and was mayor of Oak Harbor.

Proud of being 100 percent Dutch, Althea grew up in Oak Harbor where she attended school and was active as a class officer, participated in sports and school plays, and graduated in 1929 as the salutatorian of her class. She attended The College of Puget Sound for one year. On October 16, 1933, Althea married Leslie Vernon Galbraith, the son of the Reverend B. N. and Eva (Butler) Galbraith. Reverend Galbraith was the minister at the Methodist-Episcopal Church which had been built by Otto VanDyk. Leslie graduated from Oak Harbor High School and The State College of Washington with a degree in pharmacy and worked as a pharmacist in several Washington cities. Their first of three sons, William, was born in Oak Harbor followed by Robert in Everett and Jack in Bremerton. Althea and Leslie enjoyed 52 years of marriage until Leslie passed away in 1988. Althea continued to live in the Edmonds area until her passing, enjoying reading, working crossword puzzles, listening to Lawrence Welk, watching the Mariners on TV, and looking forward to attending family reunions and the gatherings of her Dutch cousins. Most of all, she enjoyed being with her family and will be deeply missed.

She was the beloved mother of William (Jean), Robert (Diane), and Jack, devoted grandmother of Jon (Deborah), Ronald (Jennifer), Richard (Elisa), Rachel and Samuel, and loving great grandmother of Jared, Danica, Anthony, Joseph, Christopher and Nicholas Galbraith. Also surviving her are her sister-in-law, Marie VanDyk of Oak Harbor, brothers-in-law, Wayne J. Reed of Oak Harbor and Allan (Betty) Galbraith of Seattle, a daughter-in-law, Mary Frances Galbraith, eight nieces and five nephews, including Patrick (Gertrude) Sullivan, Susan (Robert) Fakkema and Michael (Constance) Sullivan of Oak Harbor. At her request there will be no funeral service, memorial or gathering. A headstone has been placed in the VanDyk family plot at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Oak Harbor.