Ellen Marie Van Hook

Ellen Marie (Norberg) Van Hook, 86, of Longview, Wash., died June 13, 2022, at the Canterbury Gardens.

She was born Sept. 22, 1935, in Minot, N.D., to Eric and Olga (Amundsen) Norberg, and graduated from Model High School in Minot in 1953. On July 17, 1954, she married James J. Van Hook. They moved to Longview in 1956.

Ellen was a secretary for International Paper Co., a receptionist for Apple Dental, and retired as the attendance secretary at Kelso High School. She was sassy, smart, confident, self-assured, and active in the community. Ellen was a member of Longview Community Church from 1963 to 1975 and Columbia Heights Assembly of God from 1975 to 2022.

Ellen loved sports. She was a member of a bowling league from 1967 to 1975, a talented and sought after pitcher in the Women’s Softball League from 1970 to 2000, and coached her grandchildren in Cowlitz Little League from 1986 to 1990. She loved watching her children and grandchildren playing sports.

She also loved singing and playing the piano. Ellen was a member of the Longview Community Church Choir from 1963 to 1975, sang and was a soloist for Handel’s Messiah for many years under the direction of Dr. Neal Kirkpatrick at the church, a member of the Lower Columbia College Community Choir from 1975 to 1992, and the Columbia Heights Assembly of God Choir from 1980 to 2012.

Traveling was a passion and Ellen visited many places, including Hawaii, The Virgin Islands, New York City, Los Angeles and Disneyland just to name a few. She was an avid Scrabble player and played at least one game a day. Her sister Eleanor was also a competitive player and they had a long-standing rivalry between them.

Ellen is survived by two sons, James Van Hook of Longview and Stuart Van Hook of Silver Lake, Wash.; a daughter, JoEllen LaPlant of Denver, Colo.; five grandsons, Brandon Van Hook of Bonney Lake, Wash., Jay Van Hook of Van Neys, Calif., Joseph Van Hook of Tacoma, Wash., David LaPlant of Kent, Wash., and Nicholas La Plant of Elkhorn, Neb.; three granddaughters, Nicole Teed and Adrienne Anderson, both of Longview, and Brittiony Borges of Seattle, Wash.; her great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Eric and Olga Norberg; her husband, James Jay Van Hook; and three sisters, Ethel Campion, Eleanor Rostad, and Esther La France.

A service is planned from 2 to 4 p.m. Oct. 1 at Columbia Heights Assembly of God, 3609 Columbia Heights Road, Longview, WA 98632.