Beatrice Albert
Our beautiful Mother, Grandmother, and Great-Grandmother Beatrice Mary (Pedretti) Albert, 91 years young, passed away peacefully with her much loved and grateful children by her side August 15, 2014 (the Feast of the Assumption) in Olympia, WA.
A celebration of Beatrice’s life will be held at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, 1021 Boundary Street SE, Olympia, WA Friday, October 10 at 11 a.m. with burial immediately following at Calvary Cemetery on the 3800 block of Cleveland Avenue SE, Olympia, WA, followed by a reception at Pellegrino’s Event Center, 5757 Littlerock Rd SW, Tumwater, WA.
Beatrice (Bea) was born in Genoa, WI to Stephen and Mary Ursula Pedretti. She was the youngest of eight children and, even though her mother passed away when she was five years old, the memories she had of a loving farm family were wonderful. After graduating from St. Charles Borromeo Grade School in Genoa, Beatrice attended Aquinas High School in La Crosse, WI.
She quickly distinguished herself in creative writing skills, especially in the area of poetry. Just after the start of her junior year Beatrice’s father took ill and she returned to Genoa to care for him and transferred to Lansing High School just across the Mississippi River in Lansing. Upon graduation from high school, Beatrice attended the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, MN. Beatrice earned a Bachelor of Arts degree that eventually allowed her to pursue her love of teaching.
Beatrice married William (Bill) Albert June 17, 1946. This was the start of a caring, loving partnership that lasted over 60 years. Beatrice and Bill lived in Ames while he finished his college education at Iowa State and where the first of their eight children was born. Beatrice enjoyed a successful teaching career that included Saint Joseph Grade School in Downers Grove, IL, Christ the King Grade School in Richland, WA, working with special needs children in the San Francisco Bay Area, and teaching in Vietnamese refugee camps in the Philippines, before retiring with Bill in Olympia, WA. She dearly loved her students and could name almost all of them by memory.
Beatrice enjoyed family gatherings/reunions, RVing, sewing, making beautiful quilts, writing cards and letters, taking long walks, creating beautiful photo albums with photos taken by Bill, and giving all of her family equal special attention. She had a deep faith in God rooted in her Catholic faith.
Beatrice was the very best wife, mother, grandparent that any family could ever have and she was loved by everyone who ever crossed her path. She loved her family, relatives, friends and her God deeply and unfailingly and we will always be blessed with that memory.
Beatrice was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Bill; her parents; her sisters, Elizabeth (Jake) Curti and Magdalene (Harold) Jambois; her brothers, Steven (Freda) Pedretti, John (Lorraine) Pedretti, Philip Pedretti, Joseph (Lucy) Pedretti and Joffre (Lucille) Pedretti; and her brother-in-law, Thomas J. Albert. In addition, there are nieces and nephews who have passed on that Beatrice loved very much.
Beatrice is survived by her grateful children and their spouses, Mary Lee (Barry) Bonfield of Downers Grove, IL, Cathy (Dave) Askren of Vancouver, WA, Tom (Lyubov) Albert of Richland, WA, Steve (Kim) Albert of Seattle, WA, Jim (Cece Clynch) Albert of Olympia, WA, John (Michelle) Albert of Olympia, WA, Dan (Libby) Albert of Kent, WA, and David (Kelly) Albert of Chehalis, WA; 16 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a brother-in-law, John (Vicky) Albert of Ridely, WV; a sister-in-law, Mary (Bob) McGowan of Prairie Village, KS; and numerous nieces and nephews that Beatrice loved to communicate with.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Doctors Without Borders in Beatrice’s name. Memories and condolences for family may be shared via the guest book at www.millsandmillsfunerals.com.
