Letah Hanna Kaynor Reese

Letah Hanna Kaynor Reese, 99, passed away peacefully last Thursday in Moses Lake. She resided in the community for over 50 years. She was born to Mary and George Hanna on July 1, 1906 in Ellensburg. She spent her childhood on a nearby ranch and later moved to town where she graduated from Ellensburg High School and what was then Ellensburg Normal Teachers College. She taught for a time at Hyak, near Snoqualmie Pass before entering and graduating from the University of Washington.

In 1930, she married her high school sweetheart, Gilbert H. Kaynor. They resided in Ellensburg and raised two sons there. In 1952, at the urging of Moses Lake resident Ned Thomas, Mr. Kaynor became co-owner and publisher of The Columbia Basin Herald. The Kaynors moved to Moses Lake and were active in all parts of the early growth of our community, one they came to love very much. For a number of years, Letah was a fourth-grade teacher at Peninsula Elementary School.

As this same time, William H. Reese and his family were also active members of the community and after the death of both their spouses in the 1970s they met, married and spent 20 years in the home on Moses Lake as well as traveling together. After Mr. Reese's death in 1999, Letah continued to reside in her home. She loved nothing better than sitting on the patio and watching the "action" on the lake.

After a fall and broken hip, she moved to SunBridge Nursing Home, where she remained until her death.

She is survived by her two sons Kirk Kaynor (Sunny Sue) of Woodinville; Donn Kaynor of Denver; stepsons: William Reese (Sybil) and Jack Reese (Betty) of Moses Lake; stepdaughter, Judy Wright (Jim) of Medford, Ore. She also leaves behind numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

There will be a celebration of her life on what would have been her 100th birthday next July at the family cabin she helped build on Lake Cle Elum almost 70 years ago. It was a special place for a special lady who brought grace, courage, fortitude and a sense of hospitality to her life, much as her grandmother who walked the early Oregon trail to the Northwest had done.