Carl Arnold Westerdahl (December 3, 1907 - February 12, 1995)

Carl and Bruce’s Father

Carl was 100% Svenska, a second generation American born to parents who  immigrated from Sweden and became citizens. He was descended from Vikings, but his only extended sea voyage was on an oil tanker as a cabin boy. Later, as a U.S. Navy Seabee in World War II, he was stationed in Bermuda, his only other trip out of the country.

His Viking spirit and sense of adventure were always part of Carl’s personality. Wherever he lived, he explored and found all the curious and peculiar features of back roads or city streets.

Until his eysight failed, Carl was an avid reader of newspapers, biographies and  travel books. A large atlas and a drawer full of maps was always by his side, and he knew what was in them.

A loving family man throughout his life, Carl never used profanity. He never gambled, and he used alcohol responsibly. He loved cigars and he loved his pipe.

People liked Carl. He had a warm smile, loved to make conversation with friends and relatives and loved to debate politics, particularly if the discussion was with a liberal Democrat.

Carl was devoted to his wife, Elizabeth, and he always supported his sons, Carl and Bruce in all the activities in which they were involved.  

At Carl’s Memorial Service, his son, Carl gave the eulogy. In his concluding remarks, he said Dad “taught me to take advantage of what life gives you, no matter what fate and fortune bring, to believe that each day is for living, learning, and loving, and to know that life is a wonderful romantic voyage of exploration.”

                                                                              

Elizabeth Mae Houck Westerdahl (Aug 25, 1908 -  Jan 31, 2010)

Bruce and Carl’s Mother

Elizabeth Houck was three years old in 1911 when her Mother, who was only twenty-seven at the time, passed away. Standing at the graveside with her sister, Marg and her brother, Bud was one of her earliest memories. 

A short time later, the children had a new stepmother, Effie, and at first, their  relationship was not warm and fuzzy. Effie was a stern disciplinarian who often made the children get up as early as 4:00 a.m. to do their chores before school. It wasn’t until Elizabeth graduated from high school that she bonded with her stepmother.

Carl Westerdahl and Elizabeth were married in 1930, and she and the man she called Arnold were married for sixty-four years. After he died in 1995, Elizabeth lived alone for the next fifteen years involved in her life-long hobby, reading, including the Bible which she read from cover to cover . . . twice.

Throughout her life, Elizabeth was fastidious about her personal appearance and anxious about the image projected by her family. When in public, she was  well groomed and well dressed, and she expected as much of her family.  

Elizabeth was a good cook, who particularly enjoyed large family dinners where the results of her expertise in the kitchen were admired and enjoyed. 

One of the secrets of her culinary skills was a generous amount of butter and cream in many of her dishes, but despite those risks to good health in her own diet, she lived to be 101 aided by good genes in those who preceded her.

Elizabeth Houck Westerdahl had a stroke in January of 2010. For the next five days, she smiled and laughed with those who loved her most, then she died quietly in her sleep content that she had lived a long and satisfying life.