Mary Anne 'Minnie' Allison Rast

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend to many, Mary Anne “Minnie” Allison Rast, passed in her sleep Aug. 10, 2023.

She was born May 6, 1949, to Robert B. and Shirley G. Allison and spent most of her young life on Mercer Island, Wash.

She graduated from Mercer Island High School, then attended Western Washington University and graduated from Shoreline Community College’s School of Nursing. Minnie then spent 30 years as a registered nurse at Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland, Wash.

When she wasn’t working, Mary Anne was a dedicated mother and volunteered with her children’s schools and other activities. She was a great softball player and also enjoyed golf.

Known for her offbeat sense of humor, anywhere she went she made a positive impact in people’s lives and left a lasting impression.

Mary Anne spent many years camping with her kids in tow and enjoyed numerous vacations. In 2008, Mary Anne and Mark retired and followed their son, Greg, to Moses Lake, Wash. While initially hesitant to move away from Western Washington, she loved waking up every morning and looking out of her bedroom window at the lake while drinking her coffee and doing her crossword puzzles.

For 30 or so years, she wintered with her husband, Mark, in Zihuatanejo, Mexico.

Mary Anne was diagnosed with an aggressive melanoma 12 years ago and entered an experimental drug study. This got rid of her cancer, but left her weak from pituitary, thyroid and lymphatic system issues for the rest of her life.

Besides her fierce love for her sons, Greg, and his daughter, Sadie (Moses Lake), and Stephen (Megan) and his two children, Mitchell and Galiana (Bozeman, Mont.). Mary Anne loved her dogs. She and Moxie would love their peanut butter M&Ms each morning. She also loved all of her son’s numerous friends and treated them as if they were her own children.

Mary Anne was preceded in death by her sister, Nancy, and parents Robert and Shirley. She leaves behind her sister, Sheila (Bob), and her brother, Robert (Debbie), and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Her absence leaves behind a hole in our hearts that will never quite heal, but we will all look back with fondness for the good fortune of having her in our lives.

A life celebration is planned for Sept. 30 in Moses Lake.