Eloise H. (Samuelson) Bickar Shattuck passed away peacefully on Monday, April 16, 2018, in Montesano, Wash. She was born on Nov. 5, 1937, in Ballard, Wash. to a Norwegian commercial fisherman and his wife, Harry and Alice (Peterson) Samuelson. She lived in Seattle, Astoria, Hoquiam and Eugene as a child, and returned to Hoquiam after graduating where she met her husband Lewis John Bickar. They married in 1957 and lived in Hoquiam for 40 years where they lovingly raised their three children. Lewis passed away in 1997.
Eloise managed Durney Travel Agency for 28 years and traveled extensively to many destinations throughout the world, including her favorite country of Norway — the land of her heritage. She was involved in the Rotary Club, Grays Harbor Chamber of Commerce, and served on the Harbors Home Health Care board. She was also co-owner of Durney Travel & Cruise in Olympia. Eloise served as the Calvary Lutheran Church card ministry for years. Besides traveling, she enjoyed gardening, playing the piano, creating stained glass art, painting, golf and dancing. She especially enjoyed and dearly loved her family who were always close and gave her great pleasure – especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In 1998, Eloise married Dustin Shattuck who she had met on her 60th birthday weekend at a jazz festival — a very memorable and happy time for her. Together they built a home together in Montesano, which was a lifelong dream of hers. For years they enjoyed an active life of dancing, golfing and traveling until Parksinson’s limited her physical abilities. During the progression of the illness, Dusty continued to love and care for her until the time came that she needed additional assistance, which she received from the loving staff at the Gulke Manor Adult Family Home.
Eloise was extraordinarily gracious, gentle, kindhearted, and always a lady. She was forever grateful for all that life had to offer. She would like to be remembered for approaching each day with a sense of thanks, appreciation and awe, for planning to make the most of the precious gift of time with those she loved, for being a good listener and for being generous and kind.
In addition to her husband Dusty of Montesano, survivors include brother Don (Caroline) Samuelson of Ocosta; sons Steve (Debbie Buzzard) Bickar and John (Jana) Bickar of Hoquiam; daughter Alice (Darrell) King of Shelton; step-sons Randy (Cathy) Shattuck of Bainbridge Island, and Ron (Melinda) Shattuck of Tucson, Ariz.; grandchildren Lindsay (Jason) Tross, Nicholas (Jessica) Bickar, Krista Bickar, Jasmine Shattuck and Tanner Shattuck, and great-grandchildren Hannah, Claire and Henry Tross and Jayce Bickar. Husband Lewis Bickar, brother Jack Samuelson, sister Dorothy Bryant, great-granddaughter Meghan Tross and step-sons Rick and Rod Shattuck, and daughter-in-law Tammie Bickar preceded her in death.
The memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, May 12, at Calvary Lutheran Church in Aberdeen. A reception will follow at the church.
Memorials may be made to Calvary Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, 2515 Sumner Avenue, Aberdeen, WA 98520 or Harbors Home Health and Hospice, 201 7th St., Hoquiam, WA 98550.
Arrangements are by the Coleman Mortuary, 422 – 5th Street in Hoquiam, Wash.
Please take a few moments to record your thoughts for the family by signing the on line register at www.colemamnmortuary.net.
