H.Ida Focht

H. Ida Focht June 23, 1915-March 21, 2011 Ida Focht of Wenatchee, WA died peacefully in her home, March 21, 2011. Born June 23, 1915 to W.J. and Lena Osten she and her two brothers grew up on a farm between Morrison and Perry, Oklahoma. Because of the distance from school, Ida roomed with Mrs. Moore and 3 other girls in the neighboring town of Morrison where she graduated from High School in 1934 and attended one year at Oklahoma A&M in Stillwater. As a young girl, Ida played the banjo and with her brothers who were musicians, played for country dances. Ida met Loyd Focht at a barn dance and they married in Perry, OK in 1936, after which they lived on a farm northwest of Pawnee, OK where their 3 children were born. In 1941 the family moved to Ontario, OR, but returned to Oklahoma to be near family when WWll began. Returning from the war and settling in Oregon, Lloyd’s brothers wrote inspirational letters about irrigation which produced unbelievably beautiful crops. Again in 1947 the family packed their belongings, kids, dog and 5 puppies into a wheat truck and caravanned to start a new life in Nyssa, OR, where Ida worked as a bookkeeper at the local grocery/hardware store and Loyd worked for the Bureau of Reclamation/ Owyhee Irrigation District. Again, irrigation and farming lured the family to Quincy in January 1952 when irrigation began in the Columbia Basin. Ida worked as secretary for the Pioneer Elementary School and the “new” Mountain View Elementary School before her love for the land and irrigation attracted her to the Quincy Columbia Basin Irrigation district where she worked as assistant secretary to the Irrigation Board and office manager from 1956 to 1964. At that time the District office was located in downtown Quincy, before the District took over irrigation operations from the Bureau of Reclamation. Ida worked for the Irrigation District in Quincy until her retirement in 1980. In Quincy she was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, the Quincy Chamber of Commerce and the Business and Professional Women’s Club and the Iris Society. After her husband died in 1970 and she retired from the Irrigation District in 1980, Ida relocated to Wenatchee where she was especially active in working for senior causes. She was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church, Business and Professional Women’s Club, volunteer for the Central Washington Hospital and Home Health Care, The Senior Hospitality Center, and the Council on Ageing. She worked tirelessly toward building the new senior center in Wenatchee, serving on the building committee during construction of their facility on Maple Street. She organized and led activities in offering fun, creativity and social interaction for many in quilting and crafting activities. Ida hung up her needle and thimble at the Senior Center to retire again in 2004 at the age of 89. Never idle, Ida continued her volunteer activities and gathered her neighbors and friends to assist her in sewing and stuffing dolls for the Seattle Children’s Hospital Guild. She greatly enjoyed traveling and observing how differently people lived all over the world, all of which made her truly appreciate her homeland. Her travels took her to 5 of the 7 continents, (Europe, Asia, Australia, South America and of course North America) missing only Africa and Antarctica and to almost every state within the United States. Her family was so important to her and she took great pride in her children and their families, Ida was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, husband, eldest son Don and granddaughter. She is survived by her son Larry Focht and Grandson Brian Focht and family of Wenatchee; granddaughter Lisa Ard and family of Portland; Grandson Derrick Focht and family of Kent; Daughter Donna F. Dascenzo, Tony Dascenzo and Cindy Adams and families of the Seattle area, (5 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren) A private burial will be held at the Wenatchee City Cemetery and a gathering will be held to celebrate Ida’s life at a later date, Remembrances may be made to the Seattle Children’s Hospital Guild or to the charity of your choice. Please express your thoughts and memories on the online guestbook at jonesjonesbetts.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Jones & Jones ~ Betts Funeral Home, Wenatchee.

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H.Ida Focht

June 23, 1915 - March 21, 2011