Phronia Rae Richins

October 16, 1931 – October 15, 2018

Phronia Rae Richins, longtime Moses Lake resident, passed away on Monday, Oct. 15, 2018 at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee, Wash. surrounded by her family.

Phronia was born on Oct. 16, 1931 in Rigby, Idaho, the youngest daughter of 10 children of Donald and Emily Garton.

In 1950 she married Richard E. Richins. They were married in Idaho Falls, Idaho in the home of James V. Armstrong. They returned to Monteview, Idaho where they made their home and started their family. They had four sons and two daughters.

In 1964, a fire destroyed the dairy barn with hay and livestock. Rich decided to move the family to Washington where he felt that they had found paradise in the Columbia Basin area. He purchased a 100-acre farm on Road 6 Southeast in Moses Lake and raised beans, alfalfa, red potatoes, sweet corn and apples. Harvest time was busy; most of the produce was sold at the farm.

Phronia loved to cook; she always had enough for a crowd. She had beautiful flower and vegetable gardens each year. Sometimes her garden would be up to one acre in size.

When they were not farming, they loved to travel the back roads of the Northwest and would often take small trips just to get out and see the sights. They made trips to Branson, Mo. and Glacier Park, as well as trips to visit their extended families in Idaho.

On May 24, 2000, Rich and Phronia were sealed as a couple in the Idaho Falls Temple.

Phronia is preceded in death by her father Donald Owen Garton, mother Emily Jane Garton, husband Richard E. Richins, infant son Wayne Richins and son Dennis Richins, four brothers and four sisters.

Phronia is survived by sons Jay Richins and Jim Richins (Dori), daughters Susan Allan and Kathy Mitchell (Terry), daughter-in-law Kerri Richins and one sister, Virginia Young in Blackfoot, Idaho.

Phronia has 11 grandchildren. She was blessed with 13 great-grandchildren, along with many wonderful nieces and nephews.

Family will greet friends from 5 to 6:45 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 22 at Kayser’s Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 26, 2018 at Kayser’s Chapel of Memories. Interment will follow at Pioneer Memorial Gardens. Please sign the online guestbook or leave a note for the family at www.kayserschapel.com. Arrangements are in care of Kayser’s Chapel & Crematory.