Reta Mae (Elwess) Sweeney died at home in Oak Harbor Sept. 13, 2004. She was born April 3, 1924, in Centralia to John E. Elwess and Violet Florence Stephens. She was the fourth of five children. After her parents divorced, she moved with her family to Montana. They lived in various small towns, including Big Timber, Twodot, Harlowton, Pony, Ennis and later Butte and Helena. As a young girl she worked on cattle and sheep ranches during the summer helping the ranchers’ wives feed the ranch hands and other chores. One summer she worked at a dude ranch and met the playwright Tennessee Williams.

Reta married Lawrence Wessley Dunn in 1946 in Helena, Mont. His Navy career brought them to Whidbey Island in 1949, where they had three daughters, Roxann, Myrna and Weslene. After Reta divorced, she and her daughters moved back to Helena to be with family.

In Helena, Reta met and married Charles E. Sweeney. They moved to Seattle where their daughter Michele was born and Chuck was a supervisor at the VA Hospital. In Seattle, Reta worked for Sears and Roebuck in telephone sales. When the family moved back to Oak Harbor in 1969, Reta transferred to the Sears Catalog Store on Pioneer Way. Later Reta worked for McCaw Communications.

Reta loved music, dancing, gardening, quilting, China painting and sewing. She loved to cook for her family. Reta fed many young adults, service men and missionaries from her church. She was one of the first members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Whidbey Island. Her greatest joy in life was her daughters and their families.

Reta was preceded in death by her parents, brothers and sisters and two granddaughters. She is survived by her daughters, Violet Roxann Dunn-Terry and husband Jim of Oak Harbor, Myrna Jensen and husband Bob of SeaTac, Weslene Mulks and husband Mike of Lacey and Michele Hill and husband Gary of Oak Harbor; by her grandchildren Daniel Clarke, Beth Terry-Gerdes, Robert Jensen, Chivaun, Laurie and Charlie Hill and Billy Mulks; and by her great grandchildren, Demi, Storm, Tryston, Breona, Katelynne and Jayson.

Funeral services will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Friday, Sept. 17, at 2 p.m. Memorials may be made to St. Labre Memorials may be made to your favorite charity.

Indian School, Ashland, MT., Oak Harbor Senior Center or Home Health of Whidbey General Hospital.