Onita Claggett Anich

March 15, 1935 – August 10, 2026

Onita Claggett Anich passed away peacefully after a brief illness at the age of 91.

She was born in Mulberry, Arkansas, on March 15, 1935, during the Great Depression. As a child, she

moved with her family to California during the Dust Bowl era. She graduated from East Bakersfield

High School with the Class of 1952. Following graduation, she married Charles L. Claggett Jr., and

together they had three children during their 17 years of marriage.

In 1970, Onita earned her nursing degree from the Bakersfield College Registered Nursing Program.

She enjoyed a distinguished 32-year nursing career, serving as an ICU nurse at Kern Medical Center, an

ER Supervisor and Unit Coordinator of the Care Unit for Alcoholism Treatment at Delano Regional

Medical Center, and later as an independent Nurse Auditor for multiple medical insurance companies.

She retired after decades of dedicated service to her patients and profession.

Onita met Tony Anich in 1978, and they later married. During their 24 years together, they shared a

love of travel and explored destinations around the world until his passing in 2002. In 2006, she

unexpectedly met Gus Di Sieno. While on a family vacation to Honolulu, Hawaii, in 2009, they were

married and continued their shared passion for travel, enjoying many trips throughout the United

States and Italy until his passing in 2018.

She is survived by her son, Lance Claggett and Ernanny Francis; daughter, Kara Claggett, and son-inlove,

Raffi Adamian; her grandchildren, Eric Claggett, Scott Claggett (Sarah), Trevor Claggett, and Taryn

Claggett; and seven great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Nancy Groves; her niece,

Dena Groves (Mary Anne); and her nephews, Shawn Groves (Jaime) and Jason Groves (Andrea).

She is further survived by her great-nieces and great-nephews: Melanie Rymer (Cole), Bradley Bias

(Ashley), Sarah Bias (Kody Swope), Samantha Groves, Joshua Groves, and Nicolas Groves; as well as her

great-great-niece and nephew, Arcadia and Levi Bias.

Onita was preceded in death by her son, Victor Claggett; daughter-in-law, Janet Claggett; husbands

Charles L. Claggett Jr., Tony Anich, and Gus Di Sieno; her daddy, Ray Wilcher, and mother, Nina

Wilcher; her brother-in-law, Richard Groves; and her birth father, Oral Meadors (Arabell).

Onita's life was filled with love, compassion, and devotion to family and friends. Her beautiful smile lit

up every room she entered, and she never met a stranger. She especially enjoyed meeting new people

during her travels and maintained many cherished friendships through years of letter writing. She

loved gathering with family and friends, reading a good book, and was always excited to play bridge

with her many friends in her Bridge Club.

She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all whose lives she touched.

A Mass of Christian Burial celebrating Onita's life will be held on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at

10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, 124 Columbus Street, Bakersfield, California

93305.

A graveside service will immediately follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park, 9101 Kern Canyon Road,

Bakersfield, California 93306.

Donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a charity that was dear to Onita's

heart.