ALMA UTECHT 

Alma Utecht, 95, of Richland, WA passed away June 3, 2018.  She was born in Monango, North Dakota to William and Katharine Mintz on October 15, the oldest of six children.  Her father and maternal grandfather immigrated to North Dakota as part of the massive “Germans from Russia” migration that happened in the late 1880’s and early 1900’s.

Alma graduated from high school in 1941 and attended a nearby college which qualified her to teach.  She taught in one-room country schools where she taught grades 1-8.  In addition to teaching, she was responsible for getting the heater started each morning and keeping the fire going through the day during the frigid winter. Alma met her husband Ray while teaching in Verona, North Dakota.  Alma and Ray were married on February 22, 1946, and moved to Washington where Ray worked on the Grand Coulee Dam.  Their first child, Joyce, was born there.  Shortly thereafter, they moved to Richland where children Bob and Dianne were born. 

Alma was deeply involved with school activities including productions, sports, and the PTA where she served as president.  She worked as the registrar at Columbia High School, and later as the receptionist for Dr. Robert Chase.  After retiring, she was an active community volunteer and served as a Stephen minister.  Alma enjoyed gardening, oil painting, and being able to spend time with friends, and traveling.  It became a family joke that she would run into someone she knew wherever she went- from restaurants in Washington, D.C, to diners in the middle of nowhere in Montana.  A lifelong sports fan, she was an enthusiastic supporter of school sports, particularly basketball and baseball, and spent summer weekends attending baseball games.  In later years, she rarely missed watching a Mariners game.  

Alma is preceded by her husband Ray (1997), her parents; brother and sister-in-law Edwin and Verona Mintz; Marie and brother-in-law Art Schlenker; Ester and brother-in-law Clarence Blecha.  She is survived by her children and two grandchildren, Jess (Amanda) Utecht and Brooke Bouchey, and several great-grandchildren. She is also, two sisters, Louise Wonacott of Pleasant Hill, California, and Nora Buel, Richland. 

A celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, June 16^th, 2 pm at the Chapel of Richland Lutheran Church located at 901 Van Giesen, following a brief family service at Sunset Memorial Gardens.