Nita Marilyn Onn, 89, Tenino, died Monday, July 19, 2021 at Swedish Hospital, Issaquah.
Born in Tenino on Jan. 3, 1932, to Roy and Dona Raner, Nita spent most of her early years growing up in Centralia where she attended primary and high school. She lived with her mother and step-father briefly in Hoquiam in the late 1940s before returning to Tenino and settling in the Skookumchuck Valley around 1950. In 1951, she met and married another Teninoian, Kenneth (Ken) Onn. Eventually, in 1957 they settled in a house on East Park Avenue in Tenino. They had two children, Gary (Sammamish) and Randy (Chehalis). Ken passed away in 2008.
Nita’s neighbors could usually count on an abundant July and August display of flowers from Nita’s dahlia garden or some fresh-picked rhubarb in the spring. Many found her a friendly and gentle soul.
In her later years, Nita sometimes could be found walking her exercise route between her home on Park Avenue and the post office with her good friend Stan Ames. From time to time, she was sometimes embarrassed that a well-meaning neighbor or friend would offer her a ride home, which she usually declined.
A memorial service will be held for Nita at 1 p.m. at Heritage Baptist Church in Tenino, Washington. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org).
