Trippel-Agren, Mary Ann Wednesday, 17 Nov 2010

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber Vashon-Maury Island

Mary Ann Agren Trippel, the last surviving member of the Eric and Anna Agren family, passed away on November 17, 2010, in Windsor, California, where she had been living for two years. She was born on Vashon on June 8, 1920, at the family home on Vashon Highway, just north of Cove Road. The mid-wife who assisted her birth, gave her her name.
Mary Ann graduated from Vashon High School in 1940, and was crowned Miss Vashon Island shortly thereafter. She partnered with her high school friend, Betty Tjomsland, and opened the restaurant, The BettyAnn, for one year, in downtown Vashon.
In 1943 she met George Trippel, a Carpenter’s Mate First Class, in the U.S. Coast Guard, stationed In Seattle. They married on Vashon in 1944, and moved to Fresno, California, George’s hometown, where they raised their two children, Tommy and Pamela. George became a building contractor and built five homes for his family; one in Fresno, one in Morro Bay, two in Aptos, California, and the last on Vashon, across from the old Agren home.
George and Mary Ann returned to Vashon in 1969 to care for Anna Agren, and remained there until 2000, enjoying their retirement together. The Agren family was well known on the Island. In 1956, Eric and Anna donated 30 acres of land overlooking Colvos passage to King County. It was christened Harold F. Agren Memorial Park in the early 1990’s, in honor of their son, who died during World War II.
The Agren’s raised five children: Harold, Hildur, Mary Ann, and Carl and Doris Backlund, orphans, who came to live with them from Kotlik, Alaska, when they were four and five years old. Mary Ann always said she lived an adventurous life, moving to new homes and decorating them and making her garden in each one. She travelled to Sweden in 1981 to visit her parents’ relatives, as well as to Hawaii, Mexico, New York, Boston, and Rhode Island. Remarkably, Mary Ann passed away just eight days after her husband George died on November 9. They would have celebrated their 66th wedding aniversary on November 25.
Mary Ann and George are survived by their daughter, Pamela Trippel Wunderlich, and their son-in-law, Al Wunderlich, and two step grandchildren, Annelise and Jonathan Wunderlich. Their son, Thomas Agren Trippel, died in 1972. Their ashes will be interned at their son’s grave at Vashon Cemetery on Sunday, June 12. A short graveside service will be held there at 2:30pm, followed by a reception at The Hardware Store Restaurant at Vashon Highway and Bank Road. Family and friends are welcome to attend both events.