Obituary

We said good-bye on June 12th, 2021 to Lonna Marie Whipple-Moist, our loving wife, mother, grandmother, and sister.   Lonna passed away peacefully at the young age of 73.  She resided with her husband, Cary Moist, in Buckeye, Arizona.

Lonna began her life on July 3rd, 1947 in Lewiston, Idaho.  Born to Jim and Rose Whipple, she enjoyed idyllic, golden days on Lewiston’s Normal Hill, riding bikes, swimming, and camping with her parents and sisters.  She was an exceptional swimmer and athlete, rivaling the boys in the neighborhood.  She was raised in the Christian faith at Trinity Lutheran Church.

She enjoyed her friends from school and made life-long bonds.  She played women’s softball occasionally, with her Dad coaching a team of motivated gals.  Her dad had a special place in his heart for Lonna, as she was his favorite tomboy of his three daughters.  Her sisters knew this, as did she, and accepted it good-naturedly.

Lonna graduated from Lewiston High School in 1965.  She was a majorette at LHS with bound-less school spirit for the Mighty Bengals.  She worked during high school years at the White Pine Cafeteria located on site at Potlatch Forrest Inc.   She was a car lover, and her job afforded her a series of powerful, beautiful cars.  Many a fellow cruiser asked her if she was driving her boyfriend’s car tonight.  ‘Nope” she said proudly.

Lonna’s adult working career began at Pay Less Drug Store on Lewiston’s Main Street where she was manager of the cosmetics department and worked fulltime alongside her mother, Rose.  She met her first husband, Ken Baune, at PayLess and they were married in 1974.    Their family was comprised of three children, Kim, Wendy, and Ryan.  They separated in 1993 and divorced in 1994.

She enjoyed multiple tropical trips over the years with her sisters, daughter, and niece.

In 1993 Lonna moved to the Portland, Oregon area where she worked for Paragon Pacific Insulation and subsequently met Cary Moist.  Lonna and Cary began a relationship and were married May 3rd, 1998 at Persimmon Country Club in Gresham, Oregon. They were happily married for 23 years until she passed.

Lonna and Cary had fun designing and building their dream home near the Persimmon golf course.  She had an amazing talent for decorating and their combined talents put the sparkle into it.

Lonna and Cary golfed regularly and enjoyed many friendships, golfing trips, working tirelessly in their yard, and adoring their cats.  She retired in July of 2009.   In 2018 they moved to Buckeye, Arizona to play golf year round in a warm climate.  They enjoyed their retirement home, and she was thankful to not go through another gray and drizzly Oregon winter.

She was preceded in death by her parents Jim and Rose Whipple, and in-laws Don and Fern Moist.

Lonna is survived by her husband Cary Moist, her three children, Kim Vasquez, Wendy Baune, Ryan Baune and wife Jamie along with five grandchildren, Drake, Grace, and Cody Vasquez;   Hayden and Colton Baune.  She is also survived by her two sisters Judy Havener and DeLayne Brown along with several nieces and nephews.

A graveside interment service will be held at Normal Hill Cemetery in Lewiston, Idaho on Tuesday, June 29th, at 11:00 a.m.  Pastor Alan Daugherty of Trinity Lutheran Church will officiate.  A private family lunch will be held after the service.

We want to thank all those who were friends to Lonna along with all her caregivers in the recent months who provided a loving and caring environment to our dear loved one.  She is safe in our Father’s arms.

In lieu of flowers, we suggest donations in her memory to the Humane Society or a local animal shelter.  Lonna deeply loved all animals, especially cats.