Anita Ingrid Thompson

Anita Ingrid Thompson

8/16/1933 - 9/22/2026

~Let all my life be music~

“

Let all my life be music

Anita I. Thompson, 93, of Tacoma, Washington, died peacefully on September 22, 2026 at the Eliseo retirement community where she had recently moved.

She is preceded in death by parents Carl and Helga (Forslund) Seastrom, her husband Milton Thompson of 41 years, stepchildren Cheryl Thompson and Steve Thompson, and her brother Dale Seastrom. She is survived by her stepdaughter Tracy Pinero, her sister Jayne (Seastrom) Lytle, her sister-in-law Karen Seastrom, as well as by several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Anita was born in 1933, in Tacoma, WA and lived there her entire life. She attended Stadium High School where she was active in many clubs and musical performances as piano accompanist. Upon graduation in 1951, she attended Knapp Business College. Shortly after completing her studies, she began working at St. Regis Paper Company as a statistician in the paper laboratory. Because of her diligent work ethic, she was promoted to administrative assistant to the Operations Manager and served 32 years with that manager until he retired. When Simpson Investment Company purchased the mill in 1985, she continued as the executive secretary for three successive Operations Managers. Later she became the sales and marketing assistant for the VP of Sales. In 2012, in her 60th year at Simpson Tacoma Kraft Company, she retired. During those years, she was one of Simpson’s most active company ambassadors. She established an internal scholarship program, was the first loaned executive to United Way, the United Way mill campaign coordinator, vice president of Simpson’s Community Care Group, chaired or co-chaired various company events, and designed sales conference booths and brochures. When asked how she could work at one company so many years, she said she enjoyed her work, especially the creativity it afforded her and the opportunity to play important leadership roles.

Anita also found time to serve in the community. She was the Stadium Celebration Foundation Vice President and co-chair of the Stadium High School 100th Anniversary Celebration and member of the 1951 Class Reunion Committee. She served on the board of directors of the East Side Boys and Girls Club, was past president of Professional Secretaries International, and past Business Education Advisory Committee member for Tacoma Public Schools and Bates Technical College. In addition, she was an active member of the First Christian Church.

Music played a significant role in Anita’s life. As a teenager, she participated in music competitions and was the pianist for the Annie Wright School ballet classes. She was the piano accompanist for the Stadium concert choir, opera productions, and the band and orchestra. After graduation she continued her passion for music as the piano accompanist for the Tacoma Little Theater musicals, the New Sound Singers and Clef Dwellers vocal groups. Anita was the founder, music arranger, accompanist of the On Stage Show Group that performed around the state for 13 years.

A celebration of life service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the United Cerebral Palsy Foundation or to your favorite charity.