Muriel McNett passed away early Friday morning, January 3, 2014, in Springfield, Ore. She was surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Muriel was born on Oct. 3, 1929, in Beloit, Wis., and grew up in Wenatchee, Wash.

Muriel met Lloyd McNett, a career Navy man on leave visiting his parents, in Wenatchee. They married on Sept. 23, 1950. in Yuma, Ariz.

The Navy sent the family to Newport, R.I.; Seattle; San Diego, Calif.; Japan; Guam; and, finally in 1959 with her five children, Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island.

Muriel loved children, and after her youngest child Luke entered sixth grade, she opened an in-home daycare.

After Lloyd, her husband of 54 years, passed away in March 2005, Muriel sold their home in Oak Harbor and moved to Springfield, Ore., to live closer to Nancy, her oldest daughter.

Muriel is survived by her brother Jim Norton and his wife Karen; daughters Nancy and her husband Rick Junker, Sharon and her husband Steve Beal, and Patty and her husband Larry Mayfield; son Tim McNett and his wife Catherine; 10 grandchildren; and 37 great-grand children. She was preceded in death by her younger sister Sue Simmons and son Luke.

Muriel was a gracious woman who was beautiful inside and out; who treated everyone with dignity and respect; a loving mother who taught her children how to love and how important family is; who loved to laugh and had an infectious smile; and was an excellent baker who made awesome divinity candy. Muriel enjoyed eating Hershey’s Kisses, crocheting, watching the Seattle Mariners, playing the organ and camping, in that order. While living in Oak Harbor, Muriel was a member of Eastern Star. Her love, laughter and hugs will be missed by many.