Emily Maldonado passed away in the presence of dear friends and family on May 2, 2019, from complications of pneumonia. She will be missed by those and her home community of Westport-South Beach, Washington.
Emily was born to Dewey Lee Elwonger and Marian Eunice (Rutledge) Elwonger on May 28, 1951, in Humbolt, Nebraska. The family moved to the Seattle area in 1953, and she grew up in Lynnwood (Alderwood Manor) through her school years. She spent a wonderful three years of childhood in Westport, Washington, and later returned there to practice as a physician’s assistant in 1995, with the love of her life Bradley Sanders, (deceased).
Emily is survived by her 90-year-old mother, Marian, who resides with brother Jon in Vancouver; her daughter Katherine Mercedes Maldonado, of Lynnwood, Washington, and. her three brothers: Sam Martin (Rex) of Palm Springs, California; Tom Elwonger of Lynnwood, Washington and Jon Elwonger (Brenda) of Vancouver, Washington. She is aunt to Sarah and Timothy Elwonger (Jon and Brenda) and Ricardo and Kyle Martin (Sam and Rex).
Emily spent her adult life serving others in the medical field, working her way up from nurse’s aid, LPN in the emergency room at Group Health Hospital, Seattle, and as a physician’s assistant in Grays Harbor. She served in several clinics in Grays Harbor, most recently at the Shoalwater Bay Tribal Clinic.
Emily was a naturalist by nature and thus became an expert in healing and culinary herbs, wild plants and flowers, local edible mushrooms, natural remedies and fine cuisine. Her gardens, her meals, her cats and her cozy home in Westport were a delight to all who visited.
Emily was an artist and created beautiful jewelry with the glasswork beads made by life partner Bradley Sanders. She also created the big artists’ dinner for the Westport Art Festival for many years. She was an avid knitter, and part of Ruth McCausland’s knitting club in Tokeland, Washington.
A public celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2019, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Westport Maritime Museum, McCausland Hall.
Arrangements entrusted to Harrison Family Mortuary of Aberdeen.
