E-Bulletin

November 8th, 2023

Memorial - Gerda Middleton

5 December 1932 – 16 September 2023

Gerda Middleton’s life was a grand tapestry; admirable from a distance for its beauty and scale and equally awe striking up close for its neatness and detail. She wove together the lives of her family in Denmark with the family and community she nurtured and expanded in the Seattle area. A warm ethic of hospitality and comfort suffused her life and enriched the family and friends fortunate enough to spend it with her.

Born (Gerda Olsen) in Bindslev, Denmark on December 5, 1932, Gerda was the eldest of four children of Thomas and Ragna (Larsen) Olsen. Gerda was considered the adventurer of the family and trained as a nurse. After working in various hospitals in Hjorring and Copenhagen, Gerda set her intrepid sights on further adventures, working in hospitals in Norway and England before landing at Swedish Hospital in Seattle as a labor and delivery room nurse. In Seattle, Gerda connected with other Danish nurses, and they would attend the folk dances offered by the Danish men who lived at Washington Hall. Those friendships were cemented and have remained all these many decades later. 

One night at a party, she met a handsome English widow who was working as an engineer at Boeing. She married Robin Middleton in August 1962 at St. Thomas Episcopal church in Medina, WA. Robin brought the gift of his daughter, Sally, to the marriage. Soon a daughter, Jane, and a son, Chris, were born. The Middletons bought their home on Clyde Hill and started to build their blended European traditions as they raised their family. 

Read the entirety of Gerda's obituary here: https://funerals.coop/obituaries/gerda-middleton.html

Fredagscafé - December 1st

Join us at 7:00 pm on Friday, December 1st at Pour Decisions for a drink, hygge, and conversation.

Pour Decisions: 8000 15th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117

Fredagscafé is a social event for anyone interested in Denmark or Danish language and culture. Come ‘hygge’ with us the Danish way! Pour Decisions is an all-ages location. Please RSVP so we can let the Pour Decisions staff know how many people to expect.

Danish Conversation Group at Nordia House in Portland

Join Nordic Northwest and the Northwest Danish Association to use your Danish language skills. Whether you are fluent or just beginning this is your chance to meet others and hear the language!

Second Monday of each month

7 pm to 8:30 pm

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Fourth Monday of each month

12:30 pm to 2 pm

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at Nordia House

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FREE - DONATIONS ENCOURAGED

View the conversation group site for details on exact dates and conversation topics.

NWDA - Celebrating 100 Years! T-shirt Campaign on Bonfire

Wear your support of NWDA with these special "One Hundred Years" shirts. Proceeds from each shirt will help support programs for all ages to continue to share Danish culture, traditions, and values in the PNW and beyond.

There are lots of different shirt and sweatshirt options and they are shipped directly to you "on demand" from Bonfire! Please reach out to Emily Olsen with any questions: [email protected].

Julefest - A Nordic Christmas Celebration

National Nordic Museum

2655 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107

November 18-19, 2023

10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Get tickets: www.nordicmuseum.org/events/julefest

The National Nordic Museum invites you to experience its 46th Annual Julefest! Enjoy an authentic Nordic holiday experience, right in the heart of Ballard. Modeled after the traditional outdoor Christmas markets found in the Nordic countries, this community favorite features all the fun and goodies associated with the Nordic holidays, with a Pacific Northwest twist! Reserve your tickets ahead of time to skip the line. Read more: https://nordicmuseum.org/events/julefest

ScanFair

Hosted by Nordic Northwest at the Oregon Convention Center

777 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97232

Saturday, December 9, 2023

10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Sunday, December 10, 2023

10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Enjoy lots of Scandinavian food, crafts and entertainment! Read more: https://www.nordicnorthwest.org/scanfair

Get tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/scanfair-2023-nordic-christmas-market-tickets-728917440687?aff=oddtdtcreator

Nordic Chamber Music: 2023-2024 Series

Laura Loge, Artistic Director

For More Information and to Purchase Tickets: http://nwegriegsociety.org/nordic_chamber_music_23_24/

Finland Finnish Flute

December 3 at 2 pm

Ballard First Lutheran Church

Featuring Cassie Lear and Alex Fang performing works for flute and piano by Finnish women.

Nordic Neighbor: Germany Early Influences

January 21 at 3 pm

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

Featuring Tekla Cunningham, Adaiha MacAdam-Somer, and Henry Levedinsky on baroque violin and cello, viola da gamba, harpsichord, and organ exploring early musical influences into Scandinavia from Germany.

Denmark Danish Crossover

February 18 at 3 pm

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

Featuring Mads Tolling and Colin Hogan sharing a mashup of Danish folk music and jazz on violin and piano.

Norway A Bird Cried Out

March 17 at 3 pm

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

Featuring Laura Loge and Angela Draghicescu performing songs by Norwegian women from their new album, Der Skreg en Fugl.

Iceland Bells & Pipes, Fire & Ice

May 19 at 2 pm

Ballard First Lutheran Church

Featuring Brian Chin and Douglas Cleveland presenting new works by Icelandic composers for trumpet and organ.

Danes World Wide

Tuesday, December 19th. More info available soon.

Held at the National Nordic Museum - Seattle, Washington