Oline Marie (Sylten) Pond
March 23, 1924 — February 13, 2014
Oline Marie Sylten Pond was born on March 23 rd , 1924 to Arne Sylten and Lillian Anderson Sylten in Everett WA. She grew up in a home on the edge of Silver Lake. She remembered that home and that time fondly and all that knew her also knew Oline’s “Tales of Silver Lake”; Oline could tell a story. Oline shared those early years with her two sisters, Daphne M. McLane and Joanne L. Hinkle as well as her parents. Oline’s mother, Lillian Sylten, played a pivotal role in Washington State’s history by way of her work in support of Public Power. Oline was very proud of her mother and very happy to tell you about her mom having tea with Eleanor Roosevelt.
Everett was a Navy town and very busy with Navy men during WWII. One Navy man in particular caught her fancy. This particular Navy man was Henry A. Pond, a tall, very handsome proper southern gentleman. They were married in March of 1946 and stayed married for over 50 years until death did they part. In their early years together Oline worked at banks and Henry attended school. Eventually Henry became a teacher and they moved to Portland, Oregon in 1954 as Henry began his long and distinguished career with Portland Public Schools. In 1956 Oline and Henry welcomed their only child, daughter Nancy Ann Pond into the fold.
Oline continued to work over the years and eventually settled into a long stint as a bookkeeper at Del Monte Meat. She enjoyed that job and those people quite a bit. As Henry’s career was coming to a close and Oline was retiring from Del Monte meat they were wondering what was next? Next was Henry David McCrea. In January of 1994 their daughter Nancy and her husband Dean McCrea presented Oline and Henry with their grandson, Henry. All things ‘little” Henry consumed their final years.
Oline enjoyed many activities. She was involved with genealogy, stamp collecting and coin collecting. She enjoyed a large circle of friends and was active in a number of different bridge, bunko and other clubs. She and Henry enjoyed dancing.
Oline was one of a kind. There was never a more loving or generous woman on this planet. All that knew her were richer for having done so. We each owe her as well. She is missed dearly and lives on in the lives of those of us she touched. Oline passed away on February 13 th , 2014. På gjensyn!