Annette Mae Otis

Annette Mae Otis, cherished aunt, sister, and fiercely loyal friend, passed away leaving behind a legacy of generosity, resilience, and deep devotion to those she loved. She was born in Missoula, Montana, on June 5, 1937, to Minnie (Hurley) and Orville Otis.

Annette spent her early childhood in Fairview, Montana, where she was raised by her grandparents (Dudley Orus (D.O.) Hurley and John Etta Keaton Hurley) and surrounded by extended family and many cousins until the age of ten. When she was five and a half, she met the man she would lovingly call her “dad,” Joe Loughin—a true city slicker who adored her mother and became a devoted husband and father. In 1947, as grandma and grandpa Hurley were getting up there in years, it was time for Annette to live full time with her mother and Joe and her sister Mary and baby brother Joey. They settled in Gresham, OR in a big farmhouse on a large parcel, where Minnie cultivated an impressive garden and raised chickens (forever a farm girl, even in the city).

She loved to tell stories of those early days—of Mary dancing with excitement, her fingers pointed outward to show the energy she felt in happy moments, and of little Joey following her everywhere. Later, Annette would play baseball with him, and Joey often recalled the amazement of neighborhood boys at her powerful long-ball skills.

A serious and driven student, Annette was proud to attend Stanford University. After one year, however, she made the difficult decision to leave in order to work and pay for her education. Though her parents did not initially understand her determination to pursue higher education and a career, her later success became a source of great pride for them. Annette went on to graduate from Portland State University and later earned her master’s degree from the University of Washington.

On a working break from college, Annette moved to the Tri-Cities to live with her cousin Patsy and her husband, Don, and there she met Faye Grover, who would become one of the most important people in her life. It was also there where she began her first job in radio (KEPR Radio/TV in Kennewick) as a copywriter. Annette often spoke of how much the Grover family’s love and support meant to her during those formative years. Faye became a sister in every sense of the word, and the two shared a lifetime of adventures—travel, picnics, celebrations, and cherished gatherings with extended family and dear friends.

Later, while visiting Faye in Seattle, Annette realized she needed to stay to care for Faye who was very sick at the time, and so she got a temporary job that turned into a permanent transition to Seattle. She joined Faye at KING 5 Television before eventually finding her professional home at Associated Grocers. There, Annette built a successful in-house advertising agency and became Director of Market Advertising. She loved her work and was widely admired for her creativity, dedication, and tireless work ethic. Encouraged by her first mentor and the company president (Don Benson), she helped create a full in-house agency “just like downtown,” something she took great pride in throughout her career.

At Associated Grocers, Annette met another lifelong friend and chosen sister, the indomitable June Schomburg. Powerful, poised, and deeply devoted to family, June became a central part of Annette’s life. Annette moved in with June while she raised her two daughters, and also later, helped care for June’s father-in-law, Charlie. When June later married Bill, the three of them shared decades of friendship, family gatherings, travel, golf, and life’s many milestones alongside Bill and June’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Annette and June remained inseparable companions and dear friends through the very end of June’s life.

As an aunt, Annette was a constant source of inspiration and fierce support to her nieces and the extended families of Faye and June. She showed those around her how to work hard, play hard, and care deeply for the people who matter most.

Annette will be remembered for her generous spirit, her lively storytelling, her devotion to family and friends, and the pride she took in a career built through determination and creativity. Her life was rich with friendship, laughter, and love, and her legacy lives on in the many people whose lives she touched.

Annette Mae Otis, cherished aunt, sister, and fiercely loyal friend, passed away leaving behind a legacy of generosity, resilience, and deep devotion to those she loved.