She remained there for 16 months, living with relatives and becoming fluent in Norwegian. Because her parents had immigrated to the U.S. previously and established citizenship here before she was born, Anne Marie was a citizen of the United States.

When World War II began, Anne Marie was a student at the University of Washington. Because of the German occupation of Norway and Denmark, she felt it her duty to join the Women’s Army Corps. She repeatedly asked for overseas duty, and finally her wish was granted in the summer of 1943 when she was assigned to the legendary Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a secret intelligence service in London. Anne Marie worked in the Norwegian and Danish Sections or Special Forces Headquarters for the duration of the war, experiencing the constant air raids, blackouts, blitzes and the German V-I and V-II rocket bombings.

In 1946 she was awarded King Christian the Tenth’s Danish Freedom Medal. In 1978 she received the Saint Olav Medal from the King or Norway for her work during the war and her involvement in the Norwegian-American community.

Her many community activities include serving as president of The Norse Federation and the Inga Frodesen Guild of the Norse Home Retirement Center where she is also a member of the Board. She is vice chairperson of the Seattle-Bergen Sister City Association, past chairperson of the Edvard Grieg Festival and the 17thof May celebration in Ballard as well as serving on the Seafoodfest committee.

All six of Anne Marie’s children are graduates of Ballard High School as are three of her grandchildren.