Eileen Regina Rohner

Eileen Regina ‘Reggy’ Rohner, 91, died peacefully Tuesday, early afternoon, with her children and other loved-ones at her side, in Olympia, Washington, where she had resided these last eight, or so, years. Reggy was born in Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada, September 3, 1922 to Martina Amero.

Reggy spent her childhood in Nova Scotia, living in religious-care, and there being adopted, traveled with her adoption mother Loretta, and her husband John Livingston, to West Virginia where John was employed in the coal mining industry. In March 1930 a tragic mining accident left Loretta and Reggy alone. Reggy returned to Nova Scotia to stay with Loretta’s family while Loretta went to New York and learned to cook professionally. Loretta moved to Seattle after cooking school and Reggy rejoined her shortly thereafter. Reggy graduated from Highline High School in the class of 1942. While there she excelled at many things while expressing herself most notably with her beautiful soprano voice. - An early recording of her voice will be played at her service. - Admirably, during and after high school Reggy was providing delivered meals to folks in the area that she and Loretta made.

Her future husband, Eugene ‘Gene’ Rohner while working as a draftsman supporting the WWII effort, swept her off her feet and they married while he was in training to become a Marine at Camp Pendleton. After the war, Reggy became a ‘career’ military wife as Gene transitioned into the Army. Very soon she was raising five cute kids as they traveled extensively during the next twenty years, while living in Minnesota, Okinawa, Virginia, England, Germany, Missouri, and Washington. After military retirement Reggy and Gene spent the next thirty years in the Skagit Valley area, with Gene retiring from State Parks, after 17 years. Reggy constantly enjoyed her volunteer activities with her compassionate soul revealing itself again and again during her wonderful life, with among other things; constantly knitting little caps for newborn babies and visiting the elderly while becoming elderly herself. Her various other creative talents included, crocheting, gardening, sewing, and creating many rugs and dozens of quilts.

As each child left the nest and made their way into the world, finally Reggy received the one special event that she had secretly hoped for all her life, as many others who are orphaned often quest. Through a serendipitous event Reggy found that her birth mother still lived within a few miles of where she believed she herself, was born. And, against long odds Martina was alive and mother and daughter were soon able to have a reunion that would make her heart soar. Finally… after about 55 years she experienced the reunion that she had ached-for all her life. And, there would be more visits, and they corresponded for many more years.

Reggy’s survivors include, four children; John (wife Lynn) of Federal Way, Allen of Everett, Bonny Burgin (husband Terry) of Olympia, Marie Hurst (husband Paul Holmstrom) of Bothell, six grand-children; Condee Wood (husband Keegan), Sage Holbrook (wife Natalie), Ryan Hurst (wife Dasha), Julie Rohner (fiancé Jack Calderon), Andrew Hurst and Randi Barrett (partner Emre). Reggy also leaves five great-grand-children, Cole, Jakob, Alexia, Caden and Quinn.

Reggy was preceded in death by her parents, husband Gene Rohner, and beloved daughter Mrs. Cheryl Barrett.