Obituary of ELAINE SUE WATERMAN

ELAINE SUE (Enfield) WATERMAN

April 1, 1951 to January 30, 2020

With great sadness we share the news that Elaine has passed away following a long battle with Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Elaine is the fourth of 12 children to Roger and Rosemary Enfield.  She grew up in Lakewood and attended Park Lodge Elementary, Hudtloff Junior High, and graduated from Clover Park High School in 1969. 

In 1971, Elaine married the love of her life, Richard Waterman.  They were soon blessed with a son, Adam.  For 25 years Elaine had a career as a Pharmacy Technician.

Born on April Fool’s Day, Elaine was fun loving and always ready to play a joke on someone.  She was the favorite Aunt of her many nieces and nephews who she loved spending time with.  She was always up for whatever they wanted to do from going to the park to eating ice cream for dinner.

Rick and Elaine lived in their Auburn/Milton home for 35 years.  Rick was an expert woodworker and Elaine enjoyed making projects of her own in the shop.  They also both loved camping.  From spring to fall they spent their weekends and vacation time camping all around the state.

Elaine loved babies.  Being from a large family there was always a baby for her to cuddle.  She was elated when Adam and his wife, Tanya, gave her grandchildren.  Elaine was the best Grandma ever.  Her world revolved around her two grandsons, Jordan and Cooper.  She was always very thoughtful of their needs and especially their wants.  Sharing her birthday with her youngest grandson meant the world to her. 

In 2009 Elaine was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  She bravely fought the disease for the next two years.  She was given the “all clear” at 5 years.  Shortly after that Rick and Elaine both retired.  Now free to take their dream vacation, they hooked up the trailer and spent three months traveling to all four corners of the US.  They had a wonderful time seeing all the sights and camping on the beaches along the coastline.

In 2017 Elaine was diagnosed with the return of her Breast Cancer, this time it was metastatic.  She was determined to fight it.  Elaine was blessed with 2 ½ more years to spend with her family, especially her grandsons.  She surprised us by driving herself to Steam Boat Rock at Grand Coulee for one more camping trip in August on 2019.  Elaine lived with Adam and Tanya the last 7 months where her grandsons help take care of her.  She absolutely loved that.   The entire family was with her throughout her battle.  They will cherish her memory always.

Elaine was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, Richard Waterman, her parents; Roger and Rosemary Enfield; and her brothers Roger Jr. and John Enfield.  She is survived by her son, Adam Waterman, Daughter in law Tanya, grandsons Jordan & Cooper Waterman and her siblings; Dick & Marcia Enfield, Don Enfield, Kathy (Enfield) & Brian Hegstad , Mark & Lila Enfield, Paul & Pam Enfield, Linda(Enfield) & Mark Hamlin, Tim & Starlene Enfield, Sherrill (Enfield) & Mark Hadix and Jenny (Enfield) & Manuel Ybarra and all the nieces and nephews.

She was an incredibly loving wife, mom, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend.

We will hold a graveside service for her at 2:00 pm on Friday, February 7th, at the Calvary Cemetery.  A reception will follow at her childhood home, 10210 Lexington Ave., Lakewood.