Mary Ann LaRue, 86

Mary Ann LaRue died July 10, 2020, age 86.

Mary Ann was born to Ferman and Mary Ethyl Davis in Lubbock, Texas on Oct. 21, 1933. She was the second of five children—brothers Rondall, Jack, Barney and Marvin. The family moved out to California in 1945. Mary Ann graduated from Visalia High School, Visalia, Calif., in 1951. After graduation, she moved with her parents to Santa Barbara.

Mary Ann married Robert Miller in Santa Barbara and moved to Hawaii, where he was stationed with the U.S. Navy. That marriage was blessed with three children: Larry, Paula and Deni. When that marriage ended, she moved back to Santa Barbara where she met and married Del Wilmeth. They moved to Otis Orchards, Wash., in the early 1960s. That marriage was blessed with two children: Mary Kay and Douglas.

After that marriage ended, she stayed on in Spokane Valley as a single parent, working as a real estate office manager until she met and married Lyle Callihan. Lyle brought two children to the family from a previous marriage: Steve and Debbie. Mary Ann and Lyle owned and operated Callihan Custom Cabinets on Trent Avenue in the Spokane Valley until retirement. They also built and lived in several houses around Hauser Lake, Idaho.

Lyle died in 2002. Mary Ann was a founding member of a group called The Ladies of the Lake. They held their monthly meeting at The Rainbow Inn in Hauser. The owner of the Rainbow Inn, Robert “Bob” LaRue, lost his wife in 2001. The two lost souls met and mingled and were married in 2004. They operated the Rainbow until 2005, and then bought a fifth-wheel travel trailer and traveled the western states as snowbirds until recently. The following tribute was lovingly penned by Deni’s wife, Helen:

Maryann Davis, Miller, Wilmeth, Callihan, La Rue

Loving daughter, sister, wife, mother of five, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend to all! Passed away too soon on July 10, 2020.

You brought so much love and laughter to our lives. Some favorite memories:

Grandkids called you grandma with the big hair! They were in shock when you cut it!

Your Christmas tree with stuffed animals stuck all through.

Your cutthroat game of Canasta! You were hard to beat!!

Teaching your daughters-in-law to cook some of your favorite recipes!

The way you pronounced “eggs-bent-a-dick.”

Your Texas drawl: washing powders, wrench for your hair, Icebox......

You were always so classy in your cowboy boots, kicking up your heels on the dance floor!

Your favorite sayings to all your kids, squirt, sweet.

Your favorite cuss word, “Oh crap.” We knew you were mad then.

How you would point your finger, barely sticking out your tongue at one of us.

The beautiful dolls you crocheted for the granddaughters, the blankets you crocheted for the babies, and afghan blankets, even when your fingers were twisted with arthritis. Amazing!

How much fun you and Bob had as snowbirds, exploring states and leaving the winter cold and snow behind in Idaho.

There are so many memories not even listed we all could write a book!

You will forever be missed and loved. See you again in heaven.

Mary Ann was predeceased by her parents; four brothers; three husbands; son, Larry; daughter, Debbie and grandson, Charlie. She is survived by husband, Bob; children, Paula, Deni, Mary Kay, Doug and Steve; ten grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren. She is also loved and missed by Bob’s extended family.

Her ashes are interred next to her mother’s and father’s grave in Evergreen Cemetery, Post Falls, Idaho.

“Rest in peace, Oh Gracious Lady!”