Reha Parthene Seekins

It is with heavy hearts, and a glorious hope, that we share the passing of Reha PartheneSeekins, 101 1/2 years old, of Proebstel, WA. On the morning of January 3, 2024, she departedthis world peacefully in her home with loved ones at her side.Reha was born in Smith Center, Kansas, on July 19, 1922, and moved to Portland, OR whenshe was 12, attending Girls Polytechnic throughout her high school years. On August 6, 1939,just newly 17, she met the love of her life, Claire George Seekins, at the Jantzen BeachAmusement Park. They married in March of 1940 after a seven-month courtship andengagement and spent their first ten years in Portland and then Washougal, working and raisingtheir four boys. 1950 found them moving their family to a farm in Proebstel, WA, having their fifthchild - and only daughter - and later opening and operating Seekins Dairy. Together Claire andReha remained a cornerstone of the Seekins clan in Washington through their 65th weddinganniversary and, shortly after, the passing of Claire in August, 2005.Reha's life was marked by her strong sense of loyalty and love toward her family and herdetermination to selflessly serve those in her community from the local high school to herneighborhood church.After a few short years working at Crown Zellerbach Paper Mill in Camas and the cannery inVancouver, Reha's service to the community began at the Evergreen School District as acafeteria lunch lady. She was a fan and enforcer of proper behavior and promptly "handled" anymisbehaving students in her lunch line.She started a culinary arts class at Evergreen High School and, in developing the program, herclassroom became a restaurant, "VICA Vittles", where students would prepare and serve food tothe school's administrators and staff. The Culinary Arts program moved from EHS to the SkillsCenter which originally hosted training in only a few vocations to students at Evergreen HighSchool. This program has since been renamed to Cascadia Tech Academy and now partnerswith all schools in Clark County and provides training in many different vocations.Students who thought they were taking a class for an easy high school credit got a lot more thanjust culinary arts skills. Reha played the role of mentor, life-teacher, and stand-in mother formany during her years, encouraging and supporting her students.Reha also volunteered many of her hours sewing and teaching outside of the school district.She taught Sunday School, sewed dance costumes and cheer uniforms, and enjoyed her timehelping with 4-H.As she developed her own hobbies of knitting, spinning, loom-weaving, felting, and lace-making,Reha devoted much of her time to the spinners' and knitters' guilds serving in leadership rolesincluding being president. She loved to learn, teach, and share her arts with others.Her biggest love and greatest skill set, however, involved food. She was always makingsomething for others in addition to her own family. Her son, Roger, often brought high school teammates home for dinner unannounced. She would always find a way to double the pot ofspaghetti or soup or tuna casserole and everyone ate together without being any the wiser.In between her careers and hobbies, Reha attended countless athletic events for her fivechildren and eight grandchildren. In her later years she also attended many of her greatgrandchildren's events as well as followed some of their college football games on TV.Reha had a remarkable sense of what is good and proper. This was notable in her foodpreparation and party-hosting as her dinner parties boasted all of the accouterments. She alsohad an impeccable sense of fashion - new clothing, matching purses and shoes, and freshlipstick - even up until her final days.She was handy in finding cures for any childhood ailment from a sore throat to a broken heart,and, despite the hardships in her own life, displayed incredible wisdom. She knew that someonesomewhere always had it worse than she did; no one ever saw her shed a tear. She alwaysknew that there was much to be thankful for.Reha's contribution to the Kaiser Shipyard is commemorated in a sculpture on the WaterfrontRenaissance Trail in Vancouver. You can find her name, along with the names of othercontributors, engraved in the sculpture titled, "Wendy Rose", which celebrates the spirit andlegacy of women in the WWII era.Reha was preceded in death by her husband Claire Seekins and their four sons Jim, Gary,Roger, and Harold.She is survived by her daughter, Jerilue Seekins Hopley (Mike), grandchildren Heidi Burkett(Rob), Megan Schutt (Russ); grandchildren of deceased sons, Kelly Bratcher, Corey Seekins(Kamie), Ryan Seekins (Michelle), Sundee Racanelli (Josh), Sid Seekins (Marta), DerekSeekins (Kari), 23 fabulous great grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren, a host ofbeloved nieces and nephews, daughters-in-law, extended family and friends who will forevercarry her memory with them.Reha is now surrounded by nearly as many loved ones in heaven as she was surrounded byhere.A celebration of Reha's life will be held on Sunday, March 24th, 12:30pm at Evergreen MemorialGardens followed by a reception at Proebstel Evangelical Free Church at 3pm. In lieu offlowers, please make a donation to Meals on Wheels in honor of Reha and her faithfulcontributions over the years.Her family greatly appreciates the warm and caring assistance of Landmark, Hospice, and ourloving caregivers.

Reha Parthene Seekins

July 19, 1922 - January 3, 2024