Anita Gehret, Tekoa resident, passed away at her home with her family by her side on May 13, 2026. She was 61. A funeral service will be Friday, May 22nd, at 11:00 am at the Tekoa Community Church with Pastor Levi Hatch officiating. Burial will follow at the Goldenrod Cemetery in Tekoa.

Anita Colleen was born November 10, 1964 in Texas County, Missouri. During her childhood she moved several different times among foster homes in Missouri and Illinois. She married a friend from her high school and they started a family. Anita was a hard-working and dedicated mom to her three kids; Bonnie, Derick and Christina. The marriage fell apart but the love for her kids never faltered. Anita worked; sometimes three jobs, to keep their family going. She cleaned businesses and houses, worked in food service jobs among other things. When they were living in East Peoria, Illinois she worked at the large Caterpillar factory there in the warehouse and parts departments.

Anita had a brief encounter in 1998 with a nice man who was working near her home in Illinois and their kids were mutual friends and in 2001 she decided to follow her heart and moved to Riverside, Washington to be where he was. They lived “on the mountain” north of Omak, Washington and on October 19, 2001 she married David Gene Gehret.

Anita loved classic rock music or blues and her home was seldom quiet. She always had something to listen to. She enjoyed her plants, pets, and hummingbirds. Anita always felt drawn to ladybugs too. She loved to gather the grandchildren to her home and watch movies and eat popcorn with them. A kindred spirit; she liked to watch the older and sometimes black and white movies with them. She liked the scary movies too. Anita was a member of the Tekoa Community Church. She and David had moved to Tekoa about six years ago.

She is survived by her husband David at their home in Tekoa; her three children, Bonnie (Ernest) Smoot of Moses Lake, WA., Derick (Stephanie) Miller of St. John, WA., and Christina DeHart of Mead, WA.; several grandchildren and a handful of great-grands; her three step-children, Danielle Gehret and Zachary Gehret both of Spokane and David Gehret, Pontiac, IL.; and by her two brothers, Paul and Jim Baughman both living in Oklahoma. She was preceded in death by her parents.