Arlene Florence Gillis died May 13, 2012, at the age of 90.

She was born Oct. 19, 1921, in St. Maries, Idaho, then moved with her family to the Spokane, Wash., area at a young age. She graduated from Mead High School and enrolled at Whitworth College at age 15, majoring in home economics. In her junior year she was selected as May Princess. She and her John Gillis were married in 1947. They lived in Odessa, Wash., and Concrete, Wash, until moving to Enumclaw in 1963. In 2008, they moved to Olympia, Wash., to be near their daughters. She worked as a dental assistant, executive secretary to the school superintendent, and was employed by Mutual of Enumclaw in the life insurance department from 1966 to 1987. After retiring, she volunteered in the Enumclaw School District at Kibler and Sunrise Elementary Schools, assisting in the reading program. While living in Enumclaw, she was an active at Calvary Presbyterian Church and was a member of both PEO and the Teacher’s Wives Association. Favorite pastimes were reading, sewing and entertaining in her home. She and her husband loved to travel and enjoyed many vacations on six continents.

She is survived by her husband John; daughters Susan Gillis and Cathy Ashford; son-in-law Mike Ashford; sister Jerry Young; and brother-in-law Ed Young.

A private service will take place at Tahoma National Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090-6011 or online at www.alz.org or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Arrangements were by Weeks’ Enumclaw Funeral Home. All are invited to sign the online guest book at www.weeksfuneralhomes.com.