“I remember the explosion at the Powder Mill in 1930 when I was about five years old,” says Lillian Anderson Cronkhite. “We were reading the funny papers and a window fell in—and because the glass hit the paper instead of us, none of us were hurt.” This is just one of the experiences Lillian remembers from her childhood in Mukilteo.

Lillian was born in Mukilteo in 1925 in her family’s home on Fourth Street (the house is still there) to Axel and Jorgine Anderson. Jorgine had come to the US from Norway in 1914 with her sister Marie. Jorgine married Axel, who had come from Sweden, in Butte, Montana, where Axel was working in a mine.

Axel and Jorgine’s first child was Norman, born in Montana in 1921; then William was born in 1924 in Everett; Axel had been building their house in Mukilteo, and Lillian was born there after the family moved in.

Lillian attended Rosehill School and graduated from Everett High in 1943. She met her husband, Warren Cronkhite, there; they were married in 1946, when “Cronk” returned from service in WWII. Mixed marriage runs in the family: not only were Lillian’s parents a Swedish/ Norwegian combination, but she attended WSU in Pullman while Cronk was a UW graduate!

Lillian and Warren have lived in their same house off Mukilteo Boulevard since 1952. They have three daughters, Judy, Janny, and Susie, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Lillian tells the story of a Box Social held at the Royal Neighbors Hall (now the Boys and Girls Club) when the young ladies made lunches. The gentleman who got her lunch was quite disappointed because her brother Bill had put soap in Lillian’s sandwiches instead of cheese.

There has to be more to this story. Lillian Anderson Cronkhite, 2015 Pioneer of the Year, will be riding in a convertible in the Lighthouse Festival Parade at 10:30 am on Saturday, Sept. 12, and will be honored at an outdoor reception at the Lighthouse at 3:00 pm that day.

Join us for the parade and all the other Lighthouse Festival activities, September 11 thru 13.