Iva May Lazareff
August 09, 1914 - August 08, 2020
Bellingham, WA
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Iva May Lazareff
August 09, 1914 - August 08, 2020
Bellingham, WA
Obituary
Iva May Lazareff died peacefully in Bellingham on August 8, 2020, one day before her 106th birthday.
Iva was born in Strandell, WA to Charles and Dora (Wiltfong) Denson. She graduated from Mt. Baker High School in 1933. She married Willard Monroe in 1935 and they had one daughter, Arlene. Settling at home on the Smith Road in 1943, she remained there until she was 100. During these years she was deeply involved with family, offering her support and love in many ways. She was excited by nature and loved the forest, picnics, camping, and mushroom picking. She became an accomplished painter of many subjects and supported the Whatcom Art Guild for many years with her talents. She delighted in her two grandsons, Brian and Mark, and spent many hours and days being the best grandmother and teacher of experiences that they will always remember. After the death of Willard she met and married William Lazareff in 1976 and they spent time traveling in the US, enjoyed gardening, and spending time with family. Iva was deeply interested in genealogy and writing. She developed a history of her mother’s and father’s ancestors and wrote many stories of her childhood experiences as well as travel accounts of her adventures. She was predeceased by her parents, husbands Willard and William, brothers, Ivan, Ira, and Elmer, and sisters, Alma and infant Viva.
Iva leaves her daughter, Arlene Mortimer, grandsons Brian Haney (Debora) and Mark Haney (Melissa), her half-brother Darrell Dorland (Karen), and half-sister Vivian Burnett, her great grandchildren, Lindsay Plankenhorn (Ryan), Christopher Haney, and Nigel Haney, step-son William Lazareff Jr. and step-grandchildren, Rachelle and Jason Lazareff, many great-great grandchildren and many special nieces and nephews.
So much thanks to all the staff at Brookdale Fairhaven Assisted Living Community for loving and caring for her these past years. Thanks to all the Hospice caregivers for their care and support services. Please consider a donation to Hospice in Iva’s name.
Iva will be laid to rest at Greenacres Memorial Park in Ferndale.
8 responses to Iva May Lazareff
Mark Haney says:
August 24, 2020
My Grandma was the kindest person I have ever known. The lessons she taught me I will never know the extent of, because I just saw it as Grandma time. Fun time. But whenever I go to the beach or go to the woods or go for a drive or hear a good story or hear a funny joke I think of her because she taught me to love those things. I miss her terribly but I know that she lives on as part of who I am. I feel like the most fortunate person in the world to have had the life I have had with this incredible person in it.
Arlene says:
August 24, 2020
You were always her little Markie
Ben (Butch) Denson says:
August 24, 2020
My Aunt Iva, an long and event filled life. Her and her brother Ivan, my Dad, were very close and she always commented on how much she missed him when he died. Hopefully they are together again. I’ve had many great conversations with her over the years, especially about family and family history. I love you Aunt Iva and until we meet again, God speed!
Jeannie Denson Tarantino says:
August 24, 2020
Aunt Iva was very special to me and holds a very special place in my heart. My sister and I spent weekends with her and loved it when she helped us paint pictures that we chose out of magazines, We experienced new and different things we never would have had the chance to otherwise. Love you, Aunt Iva, you’re all together again and having a great family reunion!
Frieda Brester says:
August 24, 2020
Arlene I am so sorry to read that your mom has past away. I have thought of her many times and when as I go past her house on Smith Rd. and always think of good times I had there when she was our Camp Fire Leader. We did many crafts at her house and as Camp Fire Girls we did many trips like going to Vancouver Canada and other great places of camping. She always had great idea’s for us. Even when we dissolved as a group I still stopped in to see her. She was a really good painter as she showed me many times. She has lived a long life and leave behind so many people who loved her as I did.
Frieda Brester
Celeste Hilde says:
August 24, 2020
So sorry to hear about Iva. She was a wonderful person and mom and dad really enjoyed her working for them. She lived a long wonderful life.
Celeste Jarvie Hilde and Marian Jarvie Leer.