Mary Evelyn Eytzen

Mary Eytzen was born Mary Evelyn Schroeder to Harry and Linda Schroeder in their home near Clayton, Washington on September 30, 1937.  After a few moves between Washington and Kansas, their family of five finally settled on a chicken farm in Ferndale Washington in 1946.  After graduation from Ferndale High School, Mary attended Pacific Bible Institute in Fresno, California for one year before returning to Whatcom County and marrying her high school sweetheart Robert Eytzen on June 27, 1958. Mary and Bob’s family grew with sons Roger and Norman, and daughters Rita and Nancy.

Mary’s life of music began at an early age.  Her parents and siblings, Joyce and Harold were also very musically inclined.  Their family often had visitors and Mary would be asked to sing for the company.  Mary taught herself to hum and whistle simultaneously in harmony.  She also taught herself to play the piano and the first piece that she learned was “Let Him In” from the hymnal in D-flat major (5 flats).  

One of her other many talents was sewing.  She sewed her own clothes, including her wedding dress.  She sewed many clothes for her family, even matching shirts that they wore on a family trip to Disneyland in 1971.

Mary began her work-life early as well, as there were always chores to do on a farm.  The summer after her graduation in 1955 she was left alone to care for the 2,000-chicken farm when her parents went on a long trip.   She fed and watered them, gathered and cleaned the eggs, and saw that they were ready for pick up by the egg man each week.

When her kids were all school-aged, Mary started teaching piano lessons from the home where over 100 piano students came through her tutelage during those 15 years.  She also served as church pianist/organist and even choir director, as well as secretary for a number of years.  There was at least one season of driving the strawberry bus to pick up the county kids and then “berry boss”ing to keep an eye out that they picked and turned in more berries than they threw and ate.

Fun with Bob in their later years were trips in their van or even short excursions around the Pacific Northwest to enjoy its many beautiful areas.

Mary joined Bob in heaven on April 13, 2024, after his own promotion on March 23, 2024,  in the comfort of the wonderful caretakers at Lynden Christian Health Care Center and her four children all nearby.

Mary is survived by her sister Joyce Warkentin, sister-in-law Susan Schroeder Baker,  children Roger and Joanne Eytzen, Norman and Sara Eytzen, Rita Schultz, Nancy and Brad Klassen, her grandchildren Ian and Dana Eytzen, Ivan and Tianna Eytzen, Erica Eytzen, Melinda Schultz, Christina and Kyle Schultz-Millett, Maxwell Eytzen, Keira Eytzen and five great-grandchildren.

She was preceded to heaven by her husband Bob, parents, brother Harold Schroeder, son-in-law Raymond Schultz and brother-in-law Leonard Warkentin. 

A Celebration of Life for Mary and Bob will be on Friday, May 3, 2024, 1:00pm at Birch Bay Bible Community Church, 4460 Bay Road, Blaine, WA 98230.