Obituary of Vaitleain Rautio

SHONNIE RAUTIO Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Shonnie passed away peacefully on July 18, 2015, in Auburn, WA. Shonnie was born on April 8, 1919, in Geyser, MT, where she was one of 14 children. Upon graduating from Geyser H.S., she married Henry, her high school sweetheart. Henry joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and they were stationed in Pecos, TX. Upon his departure from the Army, they moved to Spokane where they lived for over 60 years. They were married for 57 years until Henry’s death in 2000. Shonnie is also preceded in death by her son, Lynn, in 1998. Shonnie retired from J.C. Penney’s after 23 years and was also active in Eastern Star, Amaranth, Daughters of the Nile and North Hill Christian Church. She also volunteered at the Shriner’s Hospital and enjoyed gardening and playing pinochle with friends. In 2007, Shonnie moved to Milton, WA, to be closer to her family. She enjoyed activities at Mill Ridge Retirement Home. For the past two years, she lived at Harmony House in Auburn, WA. Shonnie is survived by her daughters, Denise (Gary) Brown, and Patty (Jim) Cumming, grandchildren Jamie (Adam) Colyer, Paul (Stefanie) Rautio, Patrick Rautio, and Chris Rautio, and great grandchildren Megan, Jacob, Ava, and Aiden, daughter-in-law Betty Rautio, and sister Elsie Backa. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, August 29, at 2 p.m. at North Hill Christian Church, 4620 N. Post St., Spokane. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or charity of choice.