Obituary

Lynn Alison Fondahn

May 18, 1932–April 1, 2023

Lynn Alison (Duckworth) Fondahn, 90, of Pomeroy, Wash., who integrated her love of art and decorating with raising a family, died from heart block on April 1, 2023, in Front Royal, Va.

Lynn was born May 18, 1932, in Waitsburg, Wash., on Coppei Creek and raised on the wheat and cattle ranch, "the Rogers' Place," (her favorite home) outside of Pomeroy with younger brother Gary until she was 15. Mom and her dad, Leighton Duckworth, designed the farmhouse on the now historic wheat and cattle ranch, "Columbia Center," also outside of Pomeroy, and moved there in 1947 when her youngest brother, Blaine, was born.

She met her husband, Robert (Bob), while attending Washington State University and married June 6, 1953, then received a B.A. in interior design in 1954. After graduating, they farmed the alfalfa and cattle ranch, "Silcott," now Chief Timothy Park, along the Snake River outside of Clarkston, Wash., until 1962 when Bob was appointed an agricultural executive position in Ritzville, Wash. The Dept. of Agriculture promoted him and moved his family to Tokyo in 1963 where Lynn utilized her interior design skills for the Economic Minister's home, the Treasury Attaché, and other private sectors and embassies throughout Japan.

In 1968, they became stateside in Washington D.C. and she worked as an interior designer for Ethan Allen Galleries in McLean, Va., and then established her own design firm, Lynn Fondahn Interiors of McLean. She was actively involved as a docent for over 10 years with the Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington D.C., having been one of the original docents to be trained in 1974 prior to the museum's opening.

The late '70s brought relocations to Korea and Hong Kong but were short-lived deployments. London became Lynn and Bob's new home in 1986, he with his continued DOA career and mom with design contracts. In 1992, another promotion brought them to Singapore where she continued her art appreciation as a volunteer with the National Gallery of Art and their home was featured in the Singapore Architectural Digest.

Upon their return to Washington D.C. in 1997, Lynn resumed her docent work at the Hirschhorn Museum and continued interior design for family and friends. She was active in her subdivision with the Women's Club, the Garden Club, and the Book Club. Lynn was an avid reader and a politics addict, as well as a world traveler who enjoyed accompanying her husband during his international endeavors to Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa.

Lynn contracted advanced dementia in late 2015 and was in the care of her daughter. She passed away peacefully at home at 10:27 a.m. and was the last of the elders in all our families. Her ashes, with dad's, will be scattered at their McLean meadow and all our ranches.

Survivors include daughter Laurie Fondahn-Baker of the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho area, sons Mark of Homosassa, Fla., and Douglas of Tampa, Fla., her brother Blaine of Berryville, Va., four grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

Her husband died of pancreatic-liver cancer in 2008 while living in their final home of Liberty Lake, Wash. Because of her condition years later, she moved with her daughter to Virginia so the siblings would be on the same coast.

Mom, we will keep your memories alive with the international artifacts you collected and numerous watercolor and oil paintings you did over your wonderful and exciting life span and will cherish the affordability of living in foreign countries and cultures.