Leida "Graham" Anne Hanning

Leida Anne (Graham) Hanning passed away on January 6, 2016 at her home in Tumwater, Washington, at age 79. Leida was born to David and Adella Graham on September 17, 1936 in Billings, Montana. She lived with her two older brothers, David and Robert, and little brother, William, on the family farm in Belt, Montana until 1943 when they moved to Missoula. In high school, Leida ran track and played clarinet in the marching band. Along the way, her girlfriends nicknamed her Cindy. She worked part time in the ticket booth at the new Fox Theatre on Front Street West. Pushing a button to dispense silver dollars was a fun job! She enjoyed growing up in Missoula and always spoke of those days with fondness. After graduating from Missoula High School, Leida attended Rocky Mountain College in Billings. On a spring day in 1955, she met the love of her life when a handsome gent that her girlfriend had told her about waltzed into the soda shop where they were hanging out. She caught his eye and in 1956 Leida married her sweetheart, Ronald O. Hanning, in Missoula. They lived in Bozeman while Ron attended school, then moved to Spokane for a short while and finally on to Tumwater, Washington in 1961. They bought a home in Southeast Tumwater where they raised their five children. That little house on the corner with her beloved garden in the back yard, where many birthday parties and yard sales were hosted, is still the family home. Leida’s biggest joy was being a mom. She was devoted to her five children and they kept her busy. When Ronda and Patti were in Camp Fire Girls, she got very involved as a troop leader, including teaching camping survival skills. It wasn’t so much the wild animals that were the test, but rather the hoodlums that vandalized the parked car while she kept the girls hushed in their tents. When Bob and Bill played Little League Baseball, Ron helped coach and Leida was a scorekeeper and fan. Cleaning their jersey whites and keeping them in shoes that fit was no small task. When Brenda joined the high school drill team and color guard, Leida helped sew costumes and flags, drove kids to practices and tailgated to performances near and far. From the moment they were born and every day thereafter, she loved her children unconditionally and supported them every step of the way. Ask her kids and they will say, “She was the best mom in the world!” Leida was blessed later in life with two grandchildren. She camped at the hospital in Seattle for 37 hours as the family waited for the first, Adella, to be born. Two years later, along came Sydney. Being a grandma was the “icing on the cake of life” for Leida and she beamed from ear to ear whenever she was around them. In the early days while raising little ones, Leida worked part-time at the store next door where her name tag said “Cindy” (yes, it still stuck from high school). And later she worked full time at Capital Savings Bank where she officially shed the high school nickname and went by Leida. Once the kids were grown, she began working at St. Peter Hospital. She was passionate about being an advocate for patients. Patients didn’t wait long if Leida was on watch! After 20+ years of service at the hospital and 50+ years in the workforce, she retired in 2008 to garden and spend more time with her family. Leida believed in supporting the local community and helping people. There was a special place in her heart for all the children in the neighborhood. You didn’t have to be a Hanning kid to get a skinned knee bandaged, your bike fixed or a sandwich and homemade popsicle at the Hanning house. She was an active member of the Tumwater United Methodist Church for 55 years. Helping behind the scenes was part of Leida’s M.O.–preparing Bible school meals, spring cleaning, counting the offering, delivering food bank collections, even shuttling members to and from church that otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend. She liked volunteering as a museum docent through the local historical associations she belonged to and participating in community events. She walked in the 2010 Capital Lakefair Parade to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Women’s Right to Vote in Washington State. It was both a humbling and empowering experience she cherished. Leida loved living in Tumwater, but she was a Montana girl at heart. Most summers the family piled into a sedan to go visit relatives and explore Montana for a couple weeks. When the kids left home, she began traveling to Montana every year in the spring time. Leida, her mother and brothers would travel to the Pleasant View Cemetery in Belt to visit the family plot for Memorial Day. The cemetery was established by her grandfather, David Graham, in 1885 and was a labor of love for her family for many years. Many family members still make the trip to Belt every year to that rocky, lilac covered hillside cemetery that overlooks the old family farm where it all began. Leida made her final visit to that special place Memorial Day weekend last year. Leida loved being outdoors. She enjoyed getting out and about for a brisk walk around town, a stroll through Tumwater Falls Park, or along the boardwalk in Olympia to have a bite for dinner. She loved lighthouses and traveled with Ron to see many of them. One rainy day while visiting Newport, Oregon, the skies parted and sunlight streamed through on the Yaquina Head lighthouse. Ron captured the moment in an oil painting that became her favorite and has graced the living room wall for many years. Exploring the path less travelled and finding a new route or an interesting bit of history was a treat! Anything old with a story to tell was far better than something new. Leida’s garden was her happy place. She spent hours tending the vegetables, berries, grapes and flowers. Working the earth nourished her soul. She freely shared the spoils with her family and friends, whether a bushel of beans, a grapevine wreath, or her legendary grape jelly! Just weeks before she passed she remarked, “I really need to get my hands into some dirt.” Leida will be remembered as a person of deep faith in the Lord our Savior. She was an honest, kind and caring human being who selflessly gave to others. She was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother and friend. She will be dearly missed but will live on in our hearts forever. Leida is survived by her husband, Ron Hanning of Tumwater; children, Ronda Hanning, Bob Hanning, and Bill (Tammy) Hanning all of Rochester, Patti (Craig) Larson of Onalaska, Brenda (Corey) Hoyt and their children, Adella and Sydney of Seattle; brother, David Graham of Victor, Montana; sister-in-law, Anna Mae Graham of Spokane, Washington; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, David Howard and Adella Ruth Graham; and brothers, Robert and William Graham. Please leave memories of Leida or condolences for her family in the Guestbook below.