Anna Spafford went to be with her Lord and Savior on Aug. 18, 2007. She was born in Oak Harbor on July 19, 1920, to Peter and Maggie Balda.
Anna went to school in Oak Harbor, graduating from high school here. She worked in the Oak Harbor Post Office for 27 years as a clerk, retiring in 1972. It was while working at the post office that she met the person who turned out to be the love of her life. Gerald “Bud” Spafford was working as a mail carrier and as he puts it, “We played post office for about seven years before I figured out what a wonderful person she was and that we should get married.” They were married in 1966 and spent the next 41 years together.
Anna was a member of the Oak Harbor Christian Reformed Church. She was active in the West Beach Hospital Guild and volunteered in the gift shop at Whidbey General Hospital for many years. She was an avid bowler, winning a number of local events and even the state doubles championship in 1973. She also taught Sunday school at the San de Fuca Chapel for a number of years.
After they both retired, Anna and Bud enjoyed traveling and spent 18 years as snowbirds, traveling to Arizona in the winters.
Anna is survived by her husband, Bud, at their home in Oak Harbor, along with stepdaughter Robyn Bickford, step-grandchildren Kristen and Jeff and step-great granddaughter Tatum, nephew Ken Sims and cousins Jo Balda, Elsie Balda and Beth Fakkema, and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation for Anna will be held Wednesday, Aug. 22, at Burley Funeral Chapel from noon to 7 p.m. Graveside services will be held at Fircrest Cemetery on Friday, Aug. 24, at 1 p.m., followed by a memorial service at the Oak Harbor Christian Reformed Church at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the Oak Harbor Christian School. Arrangements are entrusted to Burley Funeral Chapel.