Zona Brink, 92, of Libby
Zona Mae Brink, 92, died on Oct. 4, 2014, at her home in Libby.
She was born in Arthur, Iowa, on Feb. 10, 1922, to Fay and Esther Cressey. The family later moved to Spokane where Zona graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1940.
She received her registered nursing degree from St. Luke’s Hospital in Spokane and served in the U.S. Navy from 1944-1946.
She married Walter Rice in 1947 in Spokane and immediately became mom to his 4-year-old daughter, Charlotte. The couple was also blessed with two sons – Greg in 1948 and Steven in 1950. The family moved to Lynnwood, Wash., where Walt died in 1960.
In 1968, Zona married Karl Tegtmeyer and became mom to three more – Doug, Debbie and Susie – making it five teenagers in the Seattle house at one time. Karl was the love of her life.
They retired to their beach property in the South Sound area near Olympia, Wash. Karl died in 1995.
In 1996, Zona married Doug Brink and moved to Vista Village, an older adult community.
She moved to Libby in 2013 to be closer to her sons as her health failed. While in Libby, she continued to be connected to her family and friends making good use of her cell phone as her vision made it difficult to write.
Zona was preceded in death by her parents; her three husbands; her sisters June and Dorothy; her brother Gary; her daughter Susie Johnson; and her grandson Bryan Ische.
Survivors include her children Charlotte Ische of Stanwood, Wash., Greg (Susie) and Steven Rice of Libby, Doug Tegtmeyer of Olympia, Wash., and Debbie (Lloyd) Rosenthal of Seattle.
She is lovingly remembered as “Gramma T” by Shannon, Cressey, Sarah, Tara, Trevor and Elissa. She was great-gramma to Tyler, Royce, Dalton, Lacie, Austin, Jaden, Jahleel, Elise and Zona. She had one great-great-granddaughter Tanis, as well as numerous nieces and nephews who benefited from her caring relationship with them and her infectious laugh.
Services will be in Olympia, Wash., at a later date. Cremation has taken place and her ashes will be interred with Karl’s at Westminister Presbyterian Church. Local arrangements are by Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home & Crematory in Libby.