Karolyn Jean (Langford) Walden Deal

Karolyn was born on August 4, 1933 to Leroy Dalley (né Isaac Fielding Langford Jr.) and Mabel Ella McLaughlin in South Bend, Washington. Named Caroline Jean Langford at birth, she changed her name to Karolyn while in grade school. Leroy and Mabel had four children Jerald (Jerry) Edward, Raymond Dalley (Bud), Barbara Mabel, and Karolyn. She grew up in the family house on River Street in Chehalis, Washington, exuberant about dance, music, and movies.  She started taking dancing lessons at age twelve and by high school was a teacher herself.  Karolyn loved being active and involved: Girls’ League President, Honor Society, Student Council, Camera Club, Majorette – she did it all!

After graduating from Chehalis High School in 1951, she and her friends often drove to Olympia to attend dances at the Evergreen Ballroom. It was there, dressed in red shoes, that she caught Glen Walden’s eye. They kept up a love letter relationship when she headed off to college. She attended Brigham Young University in Utah for several years, serving as a majorette for the band and frequent performer with the Student Program Bureau.  When Glen graduated in engineering from the University of Washington, they married shortly after on April 10, 1954.  With an ROTC commission, Glen entered the Air Force as an officer, and Karolyn organized dance lessons, talent shows and performed in USO shows wherever they were stationed.

After the Air Force years, they returned to Seattle, locating in the McMicken Heights neighborhood, where Karolyn taught dance to over 100 students a week for 31 years.  During this time, they started their family with two daughters - Laura Lynn and Krista Lee. Kaylie Jean was born shortly after the family moved to their Lake Fenwick home in Kent.

Karolyn served in many leadership roles in clubs, organizations, and service groups.  She was the Stake Activities director for the Federal Way Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she directed full stage musicals such as Music Man, HMS Pinafore, and others. She served in the Epsilon Sigma Alpha organization and President of the Jaguar Drivers Club of Northwest America. She was also proud of her membership in Daughters of the American Revolution and Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. 

Karolyn loved skiing, biking, gardening, traveling the world (especially England and Hawaii), Jazz Festivals, visiting grandchildren, and hosting family reunions. Retirement was an opportunity to volunteer even more - at Valley Medical Center as a florist, the Washington State History Museum, and performing for charities as a soloist with “Wrinkles of Washington” - an entertainment group.  She and Glen celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2004.  Glen passed away on March 17, 2010.  A sweet and surprising courtship followed with friend Jim Deal, and she added a second chapter and a bonus family when they married March 24, 2012. They enjoyed travel, music, and exploring together until he passed on January 31, 2017.

Continuing her adventures into her late eighties, Karolyn travelled to New Zealand, Panama, and Kenya-Tanzania on a safari.  Everywhere, and at every age, Karolyn met and loved people from all walks of life.  There were no strangers in her life, just friends she had not yet met. She also continued dancing into her eighties as it raised her spirits, carried her through tough times, opened possibilities, and shared joy with others.

Karolyn’s four-year fight with metastatic melanoma was hard fought, and she astounded so many people.  As she wished, she passed away in the home she so greatly loved on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.

Karolyn’s light, energy and love will always be felt by her family, especially her daughters - Laura Lynn Anderson (Duwayne), Krista Lee Nelson (Gary), Kaylie Jean Streibel (Tedd). She will always be Nana to grandchildren Micheal, Christopher, Jacob, Caroline, Sara, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Anna, and Victoria, as well as ten great grandchildren. Her bonus family includes Mike Deal (Kyle), Marianne Yule Watts (Dale Watts), and grandchildren - Matthew, Spencer, Jessica, Tanner, Emma, Heather, and Callum. Combined she had twenty great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents, siblings, husbands Glen Walden and Jim Deal, and grandsons Jeremy Anderson and Sam Streibel.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to Special Olympics Washington or the charity of your choice.

MEMORIAL SERVICE

Karolyn’s memorial service will be held on Saturday March 9th, 2024, 11:00am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Star Lake Building, 28616 48th Ave. South, Auburn, WA.  All are invited.  Luncheon will immediately follow. A Zoom Broadcast of the memorial will be available at:  bit.ly/Karolyn2024

Final interment will be held later at Tahoma National Cemetery.

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