Myrna, Randy Noahr; Mother And Son Both Loved Children

For 20 years, Myrna Noahr cared for children at Noah's Ark Preschool and Daycare, the set of converted houses she lived in and worked out of in Woodinville.

And when she died, she was on her way to build a mountaintop cabin for her grandchildren.

Mrs. Noahr loved children.

"She had the heart of an angel and just cared for kids more than life itself," said her daughter, Renee Johnson of Woodinville.

Mrs. Noahr, 53, and her 34-year-old son, Randy Noahr of Seattle, died May 6 when the plane they were flying crashed near Snoqualmie Pass.

Johnson said her brother, a commercial pilot, had flown from the Tacoma Narrows to Monroe to pick up his mother. The two were on their way to Tonasket, Okanogan County, so Mrs. Noahr could work on a log lodge she was building on a 60-acre site in the area.

Building and decorating the bed-and-breakfast lodge, which Mrs. Noahr named "Chetwoot," had occupied most of her mother's spare time for the past 15 years, Johnson said.

Johnson said the family will try to get Chetwoot up and running.

"This is her dream for her grandchildren to enjoy," she said. "She wanted them to have someplace to go; something for them to remember her by."

Randy Noahr was just like his mother, Johnson said, a caring person who loved children. He was a popular visitor at his mother's day care. "Those kids would just maul him," Johnson said.

In addition to Johnson, Mrs. Noahr is survived by her longtime partner, Michael Hallett; daughter Roslyn Schneider of Woodinville and son Russell Noahr of Tulsa, Okla.; sisters Linda Ward of Gold Beach, Ore., and Janet Gunter of Las Vegas; brother Stephen Canfield of Lacey, Thurston County; and 10 grandchildren.

Randy Noahr is survived by his fiancee, Georgette Duleba, and children Lauren, Christopher and Katherine.

A memorial service for both was held last week. The family asks that memorials be sent to the Myrna Noahr Memorial in care of Renee Johnson or John French, 24321 75th Ave. S.E., Woodinville 98072.