It is with love and sadness that we say farewell to Annabelle Birkestol as she goes on to be with her Heavenly Father.  Annabelle was born in 1923 to her Norwegian immigrant parents, Ole and Ingeborg Birkestol,  in their homestead along the Stillaguamish River between Stanwood and Silvana.  Along with her sister Grace, who was one year younger, she loved her life on the dairy farm.  She graduated from Stanwood High School where she enjoyed playing and earning her letter in volleyball.  After loosing her father to illness as a young child her mother continued to run the dairy farm which enabled Annabelle and Grace to go on to college at Pacific Lutheran Academy, now known as Pacific Lutheran University.

they began their college life in the fall of 1942 and tell of how the campus emptied out of most of the male students after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  Earning their degrees in education they each  had a full life of teaching,  with Annabelle retiring after 30 years most of which were spent at Conway Elementary teaching 4th grade.  She is remembered fondly by many of her students and when driving through the Skagit Valley she would tell stories of the student who lived here and here and here and what they ended up doing.  After retirement she returned to the family farm where she and Grace cared for their mother and enjoyed their retirement years.  In 2012 they moved to assisted living in the The Suites at Josephine Caring Community where she enjoyed activities and often read the Scriptures in the services and enjoyed worshiping with many friends at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church across the street.

She and Grace  enjoyed traveling to the Holy Lands and to Norway where they met with relatives there and with whom they have corresponded for years…in Norwegian.  They also travelled to many places around the USA attending conferences of the women of the Lutheran Church.

Admired and respected by everyone, Annabelle was a life long member of Zion Lutheran Church in Silvana (now known as The Little White Church On The Hill) which became Peace Lutheran Church in Silvana.  She was active in Sons of Norway, the Stanwood Historical Society, and the Association of University Women.  For years she was also the contact person for her graduating class at PLA (PLU).

Services are being planned at the graveside and at Our Saviours Lutheran Church as current restrictions will allow.  Memorials may be sent to Josephine Caring Community in Stanwood or to Hospice of The Northwest in Mount Vernon.