Roberta Lee (Schott) Lonngren

Roberta Lonngren, born Roberta Lee Schott and known as ROBBIE, died March 26th, 2016 at St Joseph's Hospital Tacoma, WA, following an intense, if short, illness.

A memorial for her will be held at 1:00 PM April 2nd, 2016 at Robbie's home 3805 Fagerholm Lane SE Olalla, WA, 98359.

Robbie was born in Denver, CO, to Genevieve and Herman Schott on September 18th 1952. The family subsequently established a home in Sterling, CO, at 19601 Chambers Drive where Robbie received two additional sisters, Toni and Vickie. She attended St Anthony's elementary school in Sterling and matriculated to Sterling High School for the 9th and succeeding years. She graduated in 1971.

Robbie's early life was filled with the type of adventures typical of the semi-rural location of her home. Her good friend and next door neighbor, Nola Barnes, and she prowled the area extensively on foot, bicycle and horseback. They had numerous adventures involving the nearby South Platte River and adjacent farm lands; some (many) of which earned her mother's consternation for their questionable outcomes. Due to her role as the oldest sister, she became the first line chaperone for the younger two, but the position frequently put her into complicity with, instead of responsibility for, them. She would be "on-the carpet" for allowing (leading, actually) her sisters on bicycles outside their proscribed neighborhood boundaries, or helping themselves to prohibited snacks (and being found out) when home alone at times.

Robbie would frequently hear her mother's advice: "Let's NOT and just say we did." Robbie enjoyed watching TV westerns with her father so well that her mother would sometimes comment on Saturday mornings, while sweeping the floor, that she needed to remove the previous week's accumulated dead Cowboys and Indians behind the TV. Sunday's were a particularly fond memory for Robbie. Following church and dinner the day was devoted to reading the Sunday Denver Post and taking naps in the quiet house.

Robbie, her sisters and her mother at different intervals all worked for Alec and Kenny Bauer at Bauer's Market in Sterling. The market, now only a fond Sterling memory, was a real institution despite being a medium sized store fronting on Highway 6 at the very south end of town not far from her home. Robbie worked at the market ten years beginning about age 16 and found the work not only rewarding but enjoyable and even up lifting. She learned a great deal from Alec Bauer about interacting with people. She continually recalled his mentoring and memory with fondness.

Robbie also worked at another Sterling institution, Quality Packing, meat packing plant. There she experienced many memorable events that provided the stuff for enduring engaging tales. Subsequently she worked for Journal Office Supply in Sterling where she met Wayne Lonngren. He had been transferred to Sterling in 1981 as Trainmaster for BN Railroad, and Robbie's position put them in contact when he required assistance and material with supplies for the railroad's office. They became good friends and grew fond of each other in their respectively reserved ways, but in 1982 Robbie's mother died suddenly and very unexpectedly at age 58. Genevieve Schott's death grievously affected Robbie and she withdrew from many social affiliations including with Wayne.

He was transferred by the railroad to Grand Forks, ND, in 1984 and left a still bereft Robbie in Sterling. At the insistence of Cheryl Bates, another of Robbie's Sterling neighbors and confidants, she tentatively contacted Wayne in Grand Forks to discover whether he would be willing to accept a visit from her there. She found the answer agreeable and screwed-up her courage to the greatest limit to board an airplane, first time ever, for the flight there. The visit went better than she expected, and she and Wayne became engaged to be married.

In Grand Forks she made lifelong friends of Al and Kathy Morin and discovered the railroad to be a network for the creation of very dear friendships sprinkled around the country. She relocated to Roseville, MN (Twin Cities) with Wayne where they were married in 1986. Many people from Robbie's life stopped there to visit including Nola Barnes. Robbie used the proximity to Winona, MN, to search out Sally Lucas's grave and find closure from her loss in Sterling many years before. Sally had been another deeply loved friend from another time and place, and her loss had compounded Robbie's latent doubts.

After eight years at Roseville, they relocated to Overland Park, KS (Kansas City) in 1994 where Robbie met and befriended Kay LaJoie, another next door neighbor, with whom she had memorable, indelible, adventures and formed a friendship that lasted the remainder of her life. In 1996 the railroad offered Wayne a job in Tacoma, WA, and while Robbie was reluctant to leave her new and good friends in Overland Park, she accompanied Wayne to Tacoma. They found a lovely house on Fox Island in Puget Sound. That home became the focal point of many memorable visits by people from Robbie's life.

In 1997 Herman Schott, Robbie's father, fell grievously ill with several maladies afflicting him. The three sisters found themselves thrust together again in a vigil, from disparate parts of the country, for weeks at a time. Herman died in November of that year and the extended family reconvened in Sterling for the first time in a long time.

Since Robbie and Wayne had no children, she looked for something definite to do upon returning to Fox Island following her father's death. She had always enjoyed the people at QFC food store in Gig Harbor and applied there for a job. She was accepted and began a new experience as a helper clerk at QFC. She excelled at her work and progressed seamlessly to greater and greater responsibilities. Finally she graduated to a checker's position and felt fulfilled to use again the knowledge and style taught her by Alec and Kenny Bauer so many years before in the little Sterling market. She exalted in meeting and dealing with the public and became a master of the "30-second friendship" while ringing up an order. Again she made many, many good friends working at QFC.

Robbie experienced a frightening and painful accident in the store's stock room which shook her confidence in 2003. Rehabilitation of her right shoulder proved satisfactory for her body, but her personality was beset by doubts which continued to expand. By 2004 she left the employment of the store and retired to a life at home and seclusion. She experienced bouts of anxiety which worsened into moments of panic. Medical treatment for these experiences further reduced Robbie's inclination to go out into the world, and she found solace in just being safe at home.

In 2003 Robbie and Wayne moved from Fox Island to Olalla when travel to and from home had become difficult. They acquired a piece of property that engaged Robbie completely. She was completely at home and in love with her surroundings. Wayne retired from the railroad in 2010 and was home to provide greater companionship for Robbie. They forged a tighter bond which allowed Robbie better security in her outlook. In 2012 they traveled to Sterling and Fleming, CO, to visit Vickie and Toni, her sisters, to celebrate Robbie's 60th birthday. The trip was very rewarding for Robbie. Her spirits were much elevated.

In 2014 Robbie developed lymphoma. The cancer was successfully treated by chemo therapy in 2015 but she began to exhibit unexpected side effects from the accumulation of the drugs in her system. She was hospitalized several times for the side effects. In August it was determined that she had previously experienced several small strokes. They affected her coordination, but she pushed through her daily routines.

March 1st she suffered a larger more debilitating stroke that landed her in the hospital. She was discharged to in-patient rehabilitation, but during that process, which showed progress, she became increasingly ill and returned to the hospital. On the 18th she suffered another series of strokes which completely incapacitated her and denied her any chance of recovery.

Robbie died very peacefully from complications of these strokes on Saturday March 26th, 2016. Robbie's life was characterized by intense and lingering doubts but filled with intensely rewarding friendships and love as well. She gave and received love freely and widely but was continually guarded about forming dependencies. She will be missed by many and her absence is greatly regretted, but she is at perfect peace.

Robbie is survived by her husband, Wayne Lonngren at Olalla, WA; Sister, Toni (Schott) McBride and her husband Steve McBride and their daughters Jennifer (McBride) Manion, Lindsey (McBride) Blakley all at Ardmore, OK; Sister, Vickie (Schott) Beamer and her daughters Katie (Beamer) Tryboski, Karlie Beamer at Fleming, CO; Nephew, Peter LaDow and his wife Rachael LaDow and their daughter Katelyn and son Caleb.

Family requests sending no flowers or memorial contributions. Please sign the guest book with favorite memories and condolences or lighting a candle in her memory on this website.