Andrea Gwen Robinson

She was born, Andrea Gwenette Allen, at home in Fort Valley, GA on May 14, 1954. She moved to Seattle with her family in 195X. She grew up in the Madrona neighborhood attending Garfield High School graduating with the class of 1972. As a young mother, she went to school while working at night to ensure she provided a good and stable life for her daughter, DaVonna.

She worked at Liberty Bank, the first black owned bank in the Pacific Northwest, while attending school to be a dental assistant and after graduating worked for one of Seattle’s only black dentists. Her 25-year career with CNA Insurance took her from Seattle to Atlanta then Denver and back to Seattle where she retired as a claims manager. She was a die-hard Seahawks fan always saying she was there from the beginning in 1974. She was a loyal fan – win or lose, “I have been a fan from day one, even when they were stinking up the Kingdome.”

Gwen loved life to the end and wanted nothing more than to be there for her family. She was a devoted, daughter, sister, mother, and grandmother. Affectionately called G-Ma, Grandma Gwen, or Grandmother. If you ran into her, she was with one of her grandkids or sharing their successes. Despite living across the country for 17 years, she was a constant presence in their lives. Her spirit and grace will live on in everything that they do.

Family is where she drew her strength. She loved her role as big sister to her siblings in Seattle offering her advice often and directly, but it came from a place of unwavering love. Her move to Atlanta in 1999 afforded her the opportunity to reconnect and build a great bond with her father, Grandma Kat and her four brothers.

We are grateful for the time that we had her, but it is still hard to say goodbye, for now. We all wish we had more time. Her life is not defined by the illness that took her away from us. We know she is at peace and her worldly struggles have come to an end. We will all go on to live a more beautiful and full life because of her presence. Her love for us and our love for her will always remain.

She is now reunited with her parents Carolyn Lanier and William Lee Lanier, father Jimmy Walker, and Grandmother Rosa Bud Allen and brother Michael Allen.

She leaves to morn her daughter, DaVonna Johnson (Del) and beloved grandchildren, Jalen, Alina and Kyndal Johnson. She will also be deeply missed by her loving siblings, Jackie, Celestine, Victor, Anthony, and Darryl as well as her Fort Valley brothers Ron, Gerald, Donnie, and Darryl Walker.

Memorial Services to be held at 12pm October 23, 2021, at Evergreen Washelli Funeral Home at 11111 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, 98133; viewing will be held from 10am to Noon prior to the memorial service. Repass and celebration of Gwen’s life to immediately follow service.

Burial services to be held Sunday October 24, 2021, at 10am at Sunset Hills Memorial Park and Funeral Home 1215 145th Place SE, Bellevue, WA 98007.