Elsie Magnuson McDowell

Elsie Magnuson Backland McDowell, 88, died March 8.

She was born Nov. 7, 1917 to August and Marie Magnuson at Swedish Hospital in Seattle. She was the oldest sister to her brothers John and Roland Magnuson.

She graduated from Burien High School and earned her RN from the Swedish Hospital of Nursing in 1940.

She founded and directed her own medical placement bureau in Seattle from 1941-51. She also served as a nurse in the U.S. Naval Reserves from 1944-1946. She earned a BSN from the University of Washington in 1953.

On May 27, 1953, she married Capt. John Backland of Seattle and they had two children, John and Nellie Maria. During that time, the Backlands made their home on Bainbridge Island where she lived for more than 50 years.

She was active in the Bainbridge Island Pony and Saddle clubs, Northwest Hydrofoil Lines, the Arboretum, Children’s Hospital, Seattle Historical Society and First Covenant Church.

In March 1961, she was widowed. She returned to the workforce in 1973 as an RN at the Winslow Convalescent Center and office nurse in Poulsbo.

In 1982, she married Lt. Col. Tom McDowell. During their marriage of 20 years, they traveled the world seeing Mexico, South America, Europe, Russia and Australia. In 2002, she was once again widowed.

She is survived by her son John (Kym) Backland of Bainbridge Island; her daughter Nellie (Elliott) Ohannes of Queen Anne in Seattle; and grandchildren Alexander and John Samuel Ohannes.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. April 1 at Bethany Lutheran Church on Bainbridge Island.