IN MEMORIAM
Dec 1, 1944 – August 31, 20204
Writer-playwright Carla Seaquist died of complications of thyroid cancer August 31st, 2024. A 22-year Gig Harbor resident with her husband, Larry, Carla located her writing “at the intersection of politics, culture, and the American character, with an ethical-moral lens.”
Born in 1944 in San Antonio, Texas at the Fort Hood Army Hospital where her father was a World War II Army doctor, Carla grew up in Chehalis WA. Drawn to a wider world, she majored in international affairs at American University in Washington DC. After work as a researcher at the Library of Congress, her study for a Master’s at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies included a year in Bologna, Italy. Joining the editorial staff of The Brookings Institution in 1972 in Washington, Carla co-founded and chaired the Women’s Caucus. Her lecture series featured women political, government, and academic leaders. Her audience included to-become husband Larry, a Naval Officer on sabbatical at Brookings.
Moving to San Diego 1977 when Larry went back to sea in command, Carla became the Equal Opportunity Officer for the City of San Diego where she hired the first women firefighters and trash truck drivers. Serving on the California Governor’s Task Force on Civil Rights, awarded the Susan B. Anthony Award by the National Organization of Women, she wrote the nation’s first municipal sexual harassment ordinance and opened paths for military spouses to flourish in their own careers.
Fulfilling her childhood ambition, Carla turned to writing in 1982. As Navy assignments moved them to Seattle, on to Newport RI, then back to Washington DC for many years, she found her first full, creative voice as a playwright. Two of her four plays are published in her book: “Two Plays of Life and Death.” Based on Carla’s actual phone calls during the siege of Sarajevo, her play, “Who Cares?: The Washington-Sarajevo Talks,” maps our connection to those under fire – a story Carla saw as still alive in today’s Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan. The book’s other play, “Kate and Kafka” pits Katherine Hepburn, the life force against Franz Kafka’s death force in another eternal human struggle.
Sensing that “history was happening,” the al-Qaeda attacks on 9/11 in 2001were a turning point for Carla. In her words, “History had dealt America a blow…I wanted to make sense of it, help us recover. Best tool, it seemed to me, was the great legacy of the Enlightenment: Reason. In chaos, keep your head and think.”
Writing columns first for The Christian Science Monitor, then for Huffington Post, finally publishing for a worldwide readership on Medium, Carla collected her commentary in four books. “Manufacturing Hope” and “Can America Save Itself? Politics, Culture, Morality” (Vol’s. I & II with Vol. III to come) span her full landscape of politics, film, music, and books.
Carla’s memoir, “Across the Kitchen Table, a Mother and Daughter Turn Tragedy into Peace,” will be published nationally January 14th, 2025. Her personal story of rebuilding her relationship with her mother, the book is available now on Amazon and your local bookstore.
Always immersed in national and international political dynamics, Carla encouraged Larry in his campaigns for and service in the Washington Legislature. Carla served on the Board of Humanities Washington and enjoyed many years helping judge the annual Students of Distinction awards for students in our three Peninsula School District high schools.
Carla is survived by Larry, her husband of 47 years; by two brothers and their families, John “J” Lofberg of Carson WA, and Ted Lofberg of Chehalis WA; by close relatives Dr. Joseph and Dr. Michelle Bell; and by a number of long-time friends and soul-mates. To be joined by husband Larry, Carla will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC. A graveside service will be scheduled by the cemetery early in 2025.
Larry will host an in-person and on-line Celebration of Life service at and from their home on what would be Carla’s 80th birthday, December 1st. Readers may enjoy her writing on Amazon and Medium. Her website archives all her work.
Coming down for dinner from her writing desk, Carla would often declare: “I love writing!” At age 79 she had mapped out another twenty years of creative work on a new play, a novel, and much more commentary. Even as pain from cancer and a stroke tightened their grip, she was determined to keep writing. Her most recent essays connected today’s Americans to Ben Franklin, “Founding Father for Our Times,” and to Walt Whitman, “ ‘Democratic Vista’ Imagining Democracy’s Soul.” Writing and publishing just days ago, her most recent piece reminded us of “The Moral Obligation to be Intelligent.”
In lieu of flowers, memorials in her honor may be sent to the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation marked for the Students of Distinction scholarships.
The last words from Carla: To Life!
CELEBRATION OF LIFE VIDEO
SHARED MEMORIES
We join you and everyone else who is grieving the loss of Carla. We first met Carla when we invited her to come to New Theatre, in Coral Gables, for a playreading of “Who Cares?: The Washington-Sarajevo Talks.” When we founded our theatre, one of our mandates was to support and explore new plays, and the reading was met with great enthusiasm by our audience.
And, during that process, Carla stayed with us in our home and a friendship was born. Then, later when we visited Seattle and were able to meet you and catch up with Carla, our friendship continued.
Carla was warm and engaging, and her voice was an important one for social awareness and change. Receiving emails of her posts reminded us always how important it is to stand with courage and not remain silent in the face of challenge and injustice. She certainly lived by the conviction of “see something, say something.” We will miss her voice and her big heart.
– Rafael and Kimberly de Acha
I met Carla in the 1980s when she took a class I was teaching at the Smithsonian on the idea of success in American literature. I called Jay Gatsby a hero. Carla vehemently disagreed that an immoral person could be a hero. She convinced me. I have followed her writings since then, luckily to be one of the first readers of all her plays, short stories, a novella, and the mom memoir, which I so wish she could have held a copy of in her hands. I’ve also read all her right-on-target commentary and have her first two books. I am also a writer and we emailed a lot–three or four times a week in the last couple of years. I miss those exchanges. But when I read Carla’s work, as I can do any time, I hear her voice–I literally hear her voice speaking the words. As long as her words are with us, so is Carla.
– Linda Osborne
Years back, my wife and I first met Carla and Larry aboard Holland America cruise liner Amsterdam, on a wonderful cruise to Alaska, out of Seattle. Of course, it was fantastic, we all strolled the decks, talked and yaked, laughed, and involved ourselves in social activities sponsored by the activities directors employed by the ship. Being natural hams, we all played roles in the ship’s all-passenger Song and Dance Show, presented toward the end of the cruise! Carla played a “grapette,” with other gals including Phyllis my wife, in a dance to, “Heard It Through the Grapevine,” Larry, I think played Frank Sinatra. in a lip-syc, and I tried to impersonate Elvis in with lip-sync! It was all such silliness, but so much fun!
At Cruise end, we exchanged contacts, and this “contact” became a lifelong avocation of e-mail, literature, friendship, exchange of ideas, love of history and writing, reading of Carla’s essays, pieces, books, and plays—all done over the net, Medium, and some research. All the Christmas cards, the sharing of family exploits and activities became a friendship and exploration of shared interests, and a wonderful experience, all in writing, with wonderful people, Carla, and her husband Larry. Wow, all of that, just from one cruise! Of course, Carla was unusual: she was incredible.
When she addressed me via e-mail about some point of literature or history, she called me “Chetters.” She had a way of acknowledging people, and looking for the good and positive in their description, analysis, or hypothesis. We loved knowing her and Larry! She will be sorely missed.
– Chet and Phyllis Chebegia
I only had the pleasure of meeting Carla in person two or three times, but I came to know her through her writing. Like all my favorite essayists, she had a personal confidence about her opinions that let you know they’d been long considered. What’s more, she never gave the impression of talking down to audience–she approached big ideas with humility, but also willing to pop a few inflated arguments.
Best of all, in a world of scolding finger-waggers, Carla led with empathy and humor, and with an optimism sorely lacking in the world right now.
I will miss her writing, as will many others. My deepest sympathies for those who knew and loved her as a clearly exceptional person.
– John Logenbaugh
Carla and I met through a women’s book club in Tacoma. Not only did I value her takes on the books we read, I took to heart something she said she learned from her graduate school roommate in Rome: respond to a person offering an opinion different from mine with, “Oh, that’s very interesting; what makes you think that?” I can’t begin to tell you how many times that question has spared me from a contentious argument!
Somewhere along the line, Carla learned that I lived in Steilacoom, so she asked if by any chance I knew one of her favorite teachers and early encourager at Chehalis High School. Carla’s favorite teacher turned out to be my friend and neighbor, the wife of a colleague, and the mother of one of my daughter’s very best friends! I was delighted to be able to provide her address and phone number so that they re-connected!
Since the covid shutdown and the recurrence of her cancer, I wasn’t able to see Carla in person, but I always read her essays online, and mulled them over long afterwards. Her spirit will help me persevere through the next few difficult years. Blessings on you, Larry, for your loving care of Carla!
– Fran Blair
We first met Carla summer 1975 when she visited her Dad Carl’s parents’ homeland Finland. It was easy to make friends with Carla as she took a great interest in her family background and she had an open mind as seasoned travellers often do.
Carla was more than a friend, she was part of our Lehtivuori (Lofberg in English) family. 1975 marks the year from which grew a deep lifelong friendship with a lively correspondence to the end. We also met several times over the years. In 1977 we were happy to be guests at Carla’s and Larry’s wedding, in 1992 our daughter Tuuli was with us when we visited Carla’s parents Carl and Millie.
Carla was a vastly read person who spread her wisdom in splendid writing. She was a person whose kind is in great demand in turbulent times we now witness all over the world.
Carla darling, we will never forget you. Thank you for everything you gave us.
– Ursula, Juhani and Tuuli
I first met Carla in 2010 while serving alongside her on the Academics panel for the annual Students of Distinction program, which honors Peninsula School District graduating seniors who have made significant contributions to their fields and humanity. Over the next twelve years, I had the honor of working with Carla as we engaged with dozens of students, hearing their stories and aspirations. Carla had a unique gift for leaving each student with heartfelt words of wisdom that undoubtedly stayed with them as they embarked on their next chapters.
Carla brought an extraordinary depth of knowledge and perspective to every discussion. Our conversations—enlightened by her remarkable wisdom—spanned a wide range of topics, from education to the intersections of ethics, morality, politics, history, culture, and the shared humanity that binds us all. Her insights were profound, and her passion for fostering growth in young minds was truly inspiring.
Carla’s spirit and wisdom will forever live on in the hearts of all who had the great fortune to know her. Through the Students of Distinction fund established in her honor, generations of young people from the Peninsula School District will continue to have the opportunity to pursue higher education—a legacy that speaks to Carla’s enduring commitment to bettering the world.
Thank you, Carla and Larry, for your dedication to uplifting others. Please know my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time.
– Julie Ann
Most writers (yes, I am one, too) know that a unique, highly identifable, “voice” on the page is devoutly to be wished for. Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Jimmy Breslin, etc., all had one. The thing about that voice is that it can’t be taught. Either you have it or you don’t. Carla Seaquist had it! She imparted energy to the page in a way few writers are avle to do. The way I know it is that once I start reading an essay of Carla, neither my eyes nor my attention drift. That’s a sign of Carla’s very special talent!
– Peter Hellman
I was fortunate to work with Carla on many of her books. So talented… and wicked smart! With inner and outer beauty to boot. I will miss her words and her sharp wit, although I only have to open one of her books to visit her there and experience her light once again. To life!
– Kathryn Campbell
I have a deep sense of gratitude for your unfailing commitment to us all. Your ability to use your words to heal a divided and troubled world were generous gifts. I celebrate your life as an untiring example of faith in humankind. You refused to give up on us. I celebrate our friendship and will always hold it dear.
And, finally, as you so aptly and frequently exclaimed,
“To Life!”
– Summer Schoenike
Read more shared memories and celebrations here: Carla Seaquist’s Memorial Website | Ever Loved