The Memoirs of Edythe Alexander Fader
One woman’s life, from a wheat homestead in 1900 through nearly a century of change, preserved in her own words by her grandson, Brad Fader.
Two volumes tell the story of Edythe Alexander Fader, her husband Warren “Sam” Fader, their family, and the life they built together.
BRAD FADER
Grandson & Publisher
My family’s roots in the Pacific Northwest go back to the days when the region was still known as the Oregon Territory. That heritage, along with a lifelong connection to Washington, has given me a deep appreciation for the people, history, and natural beauty of the region.
My education and career have taken me through business, finance, engineering, accounting, and education. I earned my degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington, with concentrations in Economics and Finance, followed by an MBA with a concentration in Accounting from Seattle University. In 2011, I earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from Seattle Pacific University.
Professionally, I have worked in newspapers, finance, banking, engineering, and accounting. I spent many years with The Boeing Company, first as an engineer and later as a cost accountant and financial analyst. For more than twelve years, I have also developed curriculum and taught business courses at Bellevue College.
My work and family life have provided opportunities to travel throughout the United States, Europe, and parts of Asia. These experiences, along with hosting foreign exchange students from France and Switzerland, have broadened my understanding of different cultures and perspectives and have influenced the way I approach teaching and life.
Outside of work, I enjoy the outdoors and staying active, whether bicycling, hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, camping, or taking my daily jog. Washington’s trails and landscapes remain some of my favorite places to explore.
Through my experiences in business, education, travel, family, and the Pacific Northwest, I have developed a perspective grounded in curiosity, lifelong learning, and an appreciation for the experiences that connect us all.
WARREN "SAM" FADER
Edythe's Husband
A WWI veteran, Sam built a life with Edythe and helped raise their five children.
After a 1923 industrial accident cost him his right foot, he continued working, raising his family, playing fiddle, and bringing humor and energy to the lives of his children and grandchildren.
EDYTHE ALEXANDER FADER
Author of the Memoirs
Born in 1900 on her family’s wheat homestead near Waterville, Washington, Edythe lived through extraordinary changes in American life.
She became a mother, college graduate, librarian, genealogist, and family historian. Between 1985 and 1991, she recorded her life story for her children and grandchildren.
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Edythe Alexander Memoirs — Volume I
Born at midnight on a wheat homestead outside Waterville, Washington, in 1900, Edythe Alexander grew up surrounded by family, faith, music, and hard work.
Volume I follows her childhood, teenage years, courtship with Warren “Sam” Fader, their 1920 marriage, raising their children, tragedy, the Great Depression, and the family’s journey through a changing America.
Edythe Alexander Memoirs — Volume II
Volume II continues Edythe’s story through her later years — returning to college at 51, becoming a college librarian, family life, the loss of Sam, retirement, grandchildren, travel, genealogy, and her final reflections.
About Brad Fader Grandson
Publisher & Keeper of the Family Legacy
Brad Fader is Edythe Alexander Fader’s grandson. He prepared the second printing of her memoirs using the writing and printing skills he learned during his apprenticeship at the Concrete Herald, preserving her stories, photographs, genealogy, and memories as part of the family legacy.
“It is the children who matter. The children are the point of it all.” — Edythe Alexander Fader
"It is the children who matter. The children are the point of it all." — Edythe Alexander Fader
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What's inside the book. Chapters covered
Chapters covered Edythe Alexander Fader’s memoirs invite readers into a wheat homestead in 1900 Washington, and follow her through nearly a century of change childhood, marriage, motherhood, loss, and a return to college at 51. Volume I blends her own firsthand storytelling with family history and genealogy, preserved and prepared for print by her grandson, Brad Fader.
A Pioneer Childhood
Homestead life, one-room schoolhouses, kerosene lamps, family, faith, and hard work.
A Lifetime of Love
Edythe and Sam's decades-long marriage and the five children they raised.
Triumph Through Tragedy
An industrial accident, the Great Depression, the loss of a child, and the family's resilience.
A Life Well-Documented
Edythe's genealogy research and family histories.
A Century of Change
From horse-and-buggy life to college education and a career as a librarian.
Family, Faith & Legacy
A family story preserved for children, grandchildren, and future generations.