Annette Reuel Hoelscher

Annette Reuel (Dooley) Hoelscher, 59, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on October 30, 2022. She died in her home in Kirkland, WA, surrounded by her husband, children, mother, sister, and dear friend.

Annette was born June 20, 1963, in Pomona, CA, to Robert Lee and Helen (Peirsol) Dooley. Helen later married Maurice Eugene Pruitt after Robert’s passing, and they moved to Bend, OR, in 1972.

The youngest of three siblings, Annette had fond memories of her childhood in Pomona, including birthday pool parties, visiting with her many nearby relatives that included six cousins and her namesake aunt, Reuel Witherell. In Bend, Annette was active in Girl Scouts through high school and with her love of outdoor activity, she chose in the summers following to work as a counselor for the resident camp at Lake Cleawox. Annette also worked one summer at a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) camp in Eastern Oregon helping repair a damaged forest area. In high school, Annette participated in cross country and basketball. Her stepfather Maurice volunteered as the school’s scorekeeper for Annette’s basketball games as he cheered her on. Annette played the saxophone through high school in marching and jazz bands. She enjoyed cross country skiing and participated with her friends in Bend’s Pole Pedal Paddle competition that includes snow skiing, biking, running, and kayaking components.

In 1981 Annette graduated as co-valedictorian of Mountain View High School in Bend. She loved the education process, with undergraduate study of education at Southern Oregon State University, including a semester abroad in Seville, Spain. She taught at Seabeck Elementary School in Seabeck, WA. Annette returned to school at Western Washington University to study Spanish and to earn her Master’s in Education. The following year she taught English in Guadalajara, Mexico, while refining her Spanish speaking ability in the community. Annette returned to Washington to teach Spanish at Bellevue’s Interlake High School, where she also coached the girls’ cross-country team and chaperoned student trips to Spanish-speaking countries. She was a lifelong learner and encouraged everyone around her to learn and grow.

Annette married David Hoelscher in Redmond, WA, in September 2000. She shared with her family her joy for speaking Spanish, playing the guitar, and short-term mission trips. Each year she helped daughters Julie and Elena prepare a song that they would sing at the Northshore summer church camp’s Got Talent show. This act once included the whole family, with Annette and son Eric joining in on guitars, and husband David on drums. Annette also enlisted the family in a short-term mission trip to Mexico where they helped build a house for a family who she befriended in their own Spanish language. Annette enriched family gatherings with a big folder of song sheets for Christmas, camp, worship, and fun, that she accompanied with her guitar. Everyday interactions became family cultural experiences as Annette spoke in Spanish with people from other countries—often places she had visited. Family travels always included visiting Annette’s family and friends along the way. A very kind and loving person, Annette always went out of her way to connect with new people developing ongoing relationships that she maintained over the years.

Annette was very active in the Christian community. She participated in Young Life in high school, Campus Christian Fellowship at both Southern Oregon and Western Washington, volunteered with the Awana program in Seabeck, led worship in Spanish at the Hosanna Church in Bellevue, led a discussion group at the Burien Singles’ Bible Study Fellowship, served on leadership and worship teams in the Lifeline Singles group at Overlake Christian Church in Redmond, and also volunteered with the high school youth group that included a short-term mission trip to Mexico. Annette joined with her husband David on the team that planted Grace Community Church of Bellevue. At Northshore Community Church’s Awana program she led the worship and was leader of the Sparks age group, and also volunteered in the women’s prison ministry. Annette volunteered with the Spanish class at her kids’ Cedar Park Christian School and participated in Moms in Prayer. Over the years Annette also built many friendships in various Bible studies and with a Christian aerobics group.

Though Annette had no contributing habits, she was diagnosed in 2013 with lung cancer. Through nine years of treatment, she always remained positive and joyously shared that she was sustained and saved by her faith in Jesus. The family greatly appreciates the love and support of the many friends and family who came to visit Annette in her final days, and for sending messages, cards, and flowers in support. The family thanks their dear friend Jeannette Elmore, who was by their side helping in every way from the doctor’s final words in the hospital until Annette’s passing at home. The family thanks Annette’s mother Helen, sister Karen, and brother John for quickly traveling to be with her and for their help with her care.

Annette is survived by her husband, David Charles Hoelscher, son, Eric Robert, and daughters Julie Lynn and Elena Catherine; mother, Helen Peirsol Pruitt (Bend, OR), sister Karen Lee Dooley (Eugene, OR), and brother John Robert Dooley (American Canyon, CA), and numerous loved aunts, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Annette was preceded in death by her father, Robert Lee Dooley, and her stepfather, Maurice Eugene Pruitt.

A celebration of life service will be held for Annette on February 26, 2023, 2:00 pm at Northshore Community Church, 10301 NE 145th St, Kirkland, WA 98034, and will be officiated by pastors Jonathan Wolfgang and Tom Weaver. A small, private, graveside burial ceremony was previously held in November at Cedar Lawns Memorial Park in Redmond, WA.

If you would like to donate in Annette’s memory please consider donating to UNIDOS Nicaragua (unidosnicaragua.org), which partners with a Christian school in Los Cedros, Nicaragua. Annette valued that the school helps Spanish-speaking children in need and the family has sponsored a student for several years.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.CedarLawns-Washington.com for the Hoelscher family.