Emily Jean (Davidson) Airhart passed away peacefully at home on Feb. 14, 2018. It would have been her 72nd wedding anniversary. It seemed she must have had a date with the love of her life, Leonard.

Emily was born Oct. 22, 1925, to Wallace and Sophia Davidson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard. She is survived by her five children, Susan Sanders, Vancouver, Wash., Kathryn Wong (Evan) Middleton, Mass., Nancy Cuyle (Jack), Olympia, Rebecca Carossino (John), Aberdeen, and Anthony (Laurie), Aberdeen. She is also survived by many wonderful grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Emily was a remarkable woman by all accounts, a favorite among family, friends, acquaintances, and innumerable students she’d encountered in her work. She seemingly possessed a limitless supply of love, sharing it freely with family and friends and virtually every child she encountered. Her cooking skills were renowned and her ability to sing a song on just about any subject amazed all listeners. But it was her kindness, compassion, and gentle spirit that endeared her to so many. She epitomized the tough, hard-working, uncomplaining manner of her Polish/Scots pioneer heritage. Her magic was how she coupled that with love and softness and caring.

She was born in Aberdeen, attending local schools and graduating from Weatherwax in 1943. She had five siblings: Lois, Robert, Donald, all deceased, Doris of Eugene, Ore., and Mary Ellen of Vancouver, Wash.

Family issues and deaths meant that most of her teen years were spent helping to run the household and significant family responsibilities. That followed with work as a Rosie the Riveter, helping build airplanes for the war effort and bringing in the only paycheck in the home. She would later become the first Teacher’s Aide in the Aberdeen school district. Her impact on students was evidenced by the dozens of adults who would approach her and tell her how much she meant to them during their school years at Robert Gray Elementary. As one former neighborhood kid noted upon hearing the news, “There are a lot of sad hearts in Aberdeen tonight.”

Her impact on her community was likewise significant and enduring. Emily and Leonard attended the first meeting called in the 1970’s to attempt to create an Aberdeen Museum of History. They both played large parts in developing and maintaining the museum through the years, serving on the Board of the Friends of the Aberdeen Museum but also lending their time, energy, talents and resources in any and every way the museum required. Emily worked regular hours at the museum until three weeks before her death. Emily and Leonard were honored as the Aberdeen Museum’s Harborites of the Year in 2007.

Examples of her wonderful legacy abound but are too numerous to mention. However, her lessons for her family, taught by example, live on: When someone needs help, they shouldn’t have to ask more than once, if at all. You cannot spoil your family by giving excessive amounts of love. Just the opposite, your support lifts them to new heights. When a volunteer is needed, for your child or someone else’s, raise your hand! And for her children, if you simply strive to live your life in a way that would make her proud, you cannot go wrong.

A Celebration of Life will be held May 12, 2018, at the Aberdeen Museum of History. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Emily Airhart Memorial Fund, c/o the Friends of the Aberdeen Museum, PO Box 722, Aberdeen, WA 98520.