Meet our Members

Dale Amundsen
Evergreen Washelli of Bothell

      Then                      Now

Since 2003, I am the Community Relations Coordinator for Evergreen Washelli representing EW’s Bothell funeral home.   Washelli has locations in Seattle and Brier, too; Wendy, my office coordinating wife and I, are at the Bothell office.  Washelli started in Seattle in 1884.  The original Bothell Funeral Home began in 1938 and became part of Washelli in 1999.  A full service funeral home, we received the national “Funeral Home of the Year” award in 2004.  We offer funerals, burial, cremation, preplanning and expert care believing, “every life has a story.”

Wendy once managed a bakery I visited.  I fell in love with her doughnuts and cookies.  Therefore, we married in 2003 in the Anderson Island Community Church where I speak twice a month.  Ordained, I perform weddings, too.  From 1983 – 2000, I was a law enforcement chaplain, eventually as the head chaplain for the King County Sheriff.  I delivered over 250 in-person death notifications annually for the Medical Examiner while working alongside deputies and dispatchers.  I helped with search and rescue missions, death investigations, stress management, academy instruction, media interaction and occasional barroom fights.

Born in Seattle to an airline captain and a homemaker who taught me how to cook, I earned degrees at a Bible college in Michigan (where I had long hair and a rock and roll band), Seattle Pacific (2x), and Fuller Theological Seminary.  My children are Jonathan (b. 1981) who holds three science degrees from UW and is a supervisor in a trade mortuary; Stephanie (b. 1983) who graduated from Northwest University (2007) is a substitute teacher and mechanic; and Jeffrey (b. 1985) who attended Cascadia and is a Specialist in the US Army.  Along with Wendy came Kody (b. 1987) who graduated from the University of Phoenix with a bachelor’s degree in business management (2009) and is a cremationist, and Kristina (b. 1991), graduating from high school in 2009 to attend Lake Washington Technical College in the field of graphic design.

Wendy and I enjoy working in the kitchen (I do dinner; Wendy bakes), short flights to various California and Alaska destinations, and we loved our cruise in 2009 to Baja Mexico, even though I hurled.  With airline privileges in my younger days, I commuted between Seattle and my college in Michigan via London.  In high school I’d skip a day of school each winter so I could show off a sunburn upon my return.  We have an aging dog (Cockapoo) and I have an aquarium.

I love crunchy Cheetos (but Wendy can always tell by the cheesy dust on my suit when I’ve eaten them), Three Musketeers bars, a juicy medium-rare steak, and a good bowl of clam chowder.  My favorite colors are purple, lavender and maroon; my favorite song is, “I’m a Believer”; and I sing along to every song by Neil Diamond and Paul Revere & the Raiders.

I love the life I live, but if I had no obstacles, I’d be very happy eating a burger, fries and chocolate shake while driving with Wendy in a convertible SS396 on a tour of the North American continent.