Celeste Lavone Hetland

Celeste Lavone Hetland was born March 4th, 1954, to Yvonne Wright and Ernest Williams in San Diego, California at the Balboa Naval Hospital. In 1955, she moved to Gardena, California. Celeste attended Hawthorne Christian School, kindergarten through second grade (1959-62); Harbor City Christian, third through fifth grade (1962-65); and Southern California Christian High School, sixth through eleventh grade (1965-71). Growing up in Christian schools planted seeds of faith that grew into a lifelong journey of following Jesus. In 1971, Celeste moved to Palm Springs with her mother and sister. Graduating early, Celeste received her high school diploma from Poway High school in 1972.

She attended Palomar College in 1972, College of the Desert in 1973, Orange Coast College in 1976, and Southern California College in 1976-1977. During her college years, she worked as a meat wrapper, bakery manager, and car rental agent. However, having an eye for fashion, hair and make-up, she decided to attend Elegance Academy of Makeup and graduated in 1976.  That same year Celeste ended up moving to Costa Mesa, where she went on to co-own a Furniture business with her mom.

Growing up Celeste had many different hobbies. She danced for 7-years, achieving pointe as a ballerina. She enjoyed golfing with her dad, tennis, ice-skating and was a certified scuba diver (until the movie jaws came out). She quit diving because someone told her she looked like a baby seal in all of her gear (true story)!

In 1980, Celeste knew it was time for a change. Her longtime friend had moved to Washington and so Celeste fleeced the Lord, believing if this was her next life step she would know. She told the Lord 4 things needed to happen: 1. She needed to sell her brand-new refrigerator.  2. She needed to get rid of her scuba gear  3. She needed to pay her debts and have money to move; and  4. Her mom had to approve. It wasn’t long before both her refrigerator and scuba gear were sold.  She then got a call from her mom saying, “Celeste, you’re moving to Seattle. They found money from your car accident, you need to go down to the court house and pick it up.”

So, in 1980 she moved to Washington where she nannied for a young girl on Bainbridge island.
She then indulged her keen fashion sense during a short career at Nordstrom.

In 1987, she married David Hetland. They welcomed their first child, Je’Von, on November 3, 1987.  They welcomed their second child a son, Forrest, born March 30,, 1989; followed by their second son, Houston, on May 9, 1991; and third son, Marshall, November 17, 1992. Celeste was a devoted (and busy!) mom and cherished the time she spent with her children, giving them as many opportunities as she could and being involved in all of their various sports and activities. Having 4 kids in less than 5 years taught her about dying to self and serving others.

In 2000, Celeste obtained her Real Estate license. Over the past 20 years, she worked on and off as a Real Estate agent serving many of her friends.  She also spent several years as a sales and design representative for Bank and Office furniture.  In 2011, Celeste decided to fulfill one of her life goals and go back to school to finish her Bachelor’s degree. She graduated in 2013 with her Bachelor of Arts in Society, Ethics, and Human Behavior from the University of Washington Bothell.

Celeste loved the Lord and was the epitome of a faithful follower of Christ. This started early and continued until the day Jesus called her home. She would often talk about her experiences with Chuck Smith down in California at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and with John Wimber at Calvary Chapel Yorba Linda, just prior to the Vineyard movement. It was during this time, the Jesus Movement, where she experienced and fell in love with the Holy Spirit. This love for Holy Spirit carried her through some of the darkest times of her life and investing in her relationship with her Lord quickly became one of her favorite pastimes. She loved to pray for people and served as a prayer partner in the Healing Rooms. You would often find her listening to teachings or attending prophetic and healing conferences.

If she wasn’t at a conference, you would find her serving her friends and others. She loved to be around people and was an anointed networker. She loved connecting people and if she didn’t have a connection, she would find one! Next to loving Jesus and her kids, she valued serving people and being in relationships! This was a core-value and how she lived her life. Her desire for excellence and sophisticated style impacted everything she did. She always worked to give her best for others so that other people would experience and receive the very best!

For anyone that knew her, you know she loved Nordstrom, laughter, and sunshine. She was a California girl-at-heart and that radiant, California sunshine always shone through her. Her light, joy, love, energy, sense of humor and generosity were contagious.

But more than anything, Celeste loved the Lord and her children. There was no hurdle or mountain she wouldn’t climb to give and sacrifice for the sake of her children. It was known that her children were here pride and joy, her best gifts from the Lord. She wanted nothing more than for her children to love the Lord and each other. God gave her the promise of Isaiah 54:13, “All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.” During Celeste’s final days and entry into the Kingdom, Gods promise of this could not have been more true.  Celeste wants her family, her friends, and the world to know that God is faithful.

With her four children gathered around her, Celeste Hetland was welcomed into the arms of Jesus on September 21st, 2019 at 2:11pm.

Celeste is survived by her daughter, Je’Von and son-in-law Joel Thompson; sons, Forrest, Houston and Marshall Hetland; grandson, William; father, Ernie Williams; brother, Coleman Bradford; sister, Chaddie Willliams; and cousin, Lora Betts. She was preceded in death by her mother, Yvonne Watters.

Celeste’s Celebration of Life will be held October 12, 2019 at 1:30pm at Eastside Church in Bothell.

Address: 14520 100th Ave NE, Bothell, WA 9801