Lauretta M. Gatto, 78, of Ephrata Washington passed away Wednesday October 5, 2011 at Central Washington hospital in Wenatchee, Washington with her family at her side.
She was born in Ellensburg, Washington on August 19, 1933 to Pete and Alice Gatto. Lauretta grew up in Burien, Washington and graduated from Highline High School in 1951. “Her moods were like the April sky-and just as variable“.
In her younger years, Lauretta was a stock car driver and a beauty pageant contestant. As a young girl she spent many hours riding horses down to Puget Sound with her best friend, Joanne.
She taught First Aid to the local fire and sheriffs departments before there were paramedics. One of her regular customers at the Olympic Bowl where was a motorcycle officer with the local sheriff department. She made him and his partner each a scarf one year and soon received requests from others on the department. The scarves gained in popularity and she was soon getting requests from state patrol officers as well.
She was co owner of a number of businesses as well during her lifetime including owning a restraunt, a florist and a trout farm, Kepka Lake Trout Farm in Wilkerson, Washington. She also worked a variety of jobs including cook/waitress for many years at the Olympic Bowl Restraunt and making candles at Lund’s Lites.
Lauretta retired in 1995 from Safeway as a deli/bakery worker in Bonney Lake Washington.
She enjoyed being in the outdoors picking mushrooms, berries, beachcombing and camping and baking/cooking. Like her mother she had a ‘green’ thumb and was determined (and successful) in making her little patch of the desert ‘green’. She shared her interests with her family and friends imparting an interest and love for the outdoors, crafts and baking in all of us.
Over the course of her life she had been married to James Hughes, Bob McLaren and David Keyser.
Lauretta is survived by her sons: Robert Hughes of Sumner, Washington and David Keyser (Erin) of Ephrata, Washington and daughters Sherrie Garrett (Joe) of Forest Grove, Oregon and Cindy (Bill) Ruud of Des Moines, Washington.
Her brothers James (Ruth) Gatto of Whidbey Island, Peter John (Ginny) Gatto of Elma, Washington; Frank (Diane) Gatto of Gig Harbor, Washington.
10 Grandchildren, David, Jordan, Matthew, Joshua and Marcus Keyser, Maria (Matt) Parnel, Jessica (Nick) Sapegin, Kyle Ruud, Joshua Dority, Michelle (Brian) Kroll, Justin and Sarah Hughes. And 6 great-grandchildren. Alexis, Joseph and Madison Sapegin, Claire Kroll, Gabby and Samantha Hughes.
Her special friends and neighbors Ted and Judy Lewis, Nada Jacobson, Walt and Joyce, Donna Leighter and her lifelong childhood friend, Joanne (George) Samuel.
A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, November 5, 2011 from 12 to 3pm in the Fellowship Hall at Glendale Lutheran Church located at 13455 2nd Ave SW in Burien.
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