Ingrid Taaje of Coupeville, 99, a former resident of Clinton passed away on Good Friday, April 9, 2004. She was born as the third of five children to Julia and Johan J. Helland in Hellandshaven at Brattrag in Sunnmore Norway.

In her younger adult years, Mrs. Taaje played piano for a dance studio in Norway and worked as a beautician. She immigrated to the United States in 1929. She lived in Los Gatos, Calif., for 47 years before moving to Whidbey Island in 1993. With husband Finn Taaje, she owned and operated Finn’s Wallpaper Store in Los Gatos from 1950 into the mid-1970s.

She was a life long member of the Sons of Norway Lodge, a charter member of the Nordahl Greig Lodge #52 in Los Gatos, was a charter member of Ester Moe Lodge #39 of the Daughters of Norway in Clinton, was a charter member of Faith Lutheran Church in Los Gatos and was an associate member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Clinton. She was also the past president of the Business and Professional Women in Los Gatos.

According to family, Mrs. Taaje loved to play bingo and to dance, especially the Norwegian shottish and hambo. She and her husband were dance partners, making quite a pair with him at 6 feet, 1 tall and her at 4 foot, 11 inches.

Her daughter, Linda Iversen, said she never heard a negative word spoken about her mother and said Mrs. Taaje will be remembered for the following advice: “Eat it up, wear it out and make it do” and “Don’t worry. The little problems always take care of themselves and the big problems, well, God takes care of them, so there is no need to worry.”

Mrs. Taaje is survived by son Eivind Taaje of Los Gatos, daughters Sylvia (David) McIntyre of El Sobrante, Calif., and Linda Iversen of Clinton and her husband Henry Sisler; grandchildren Robin Taaje, Lisle Taaje, Susan (Steven) Williams, Paul (Barbara) McIntyre, Ross McIntyre, Stuart (Monica) McIntyre, Martin (Denise) Iversen, Erik (Lorraine) Iversen, and Carl-Finn “Johan” Iversen of Langley; great-grandchildren Sheila O’Donnell, James Piffero, Anthony Piffero, Marianna and James Williams, Dominic and Hunter McIntyre, Evan McIntyre and Kenneth Iversen; great-great-grandson Andre Michael; nieces Francis Quick, Reidun Stronsheim and Astri Giske, and many other nieces and nephews in Norway.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Finn, in 1984; by her siblings Agnes Helland, Margit Helland, Aslaug Stronsheim and Johan J. Helland; and grandson Timothy Wayne Taaje.

A celebration of Mrs. Taaje’s life will be held at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Clinton on April 17 at 2 p.m.