Saturday, April 27, 2024
Holly Reiter, late of Mountlake Terrace, passed away on June 10, 2023.
Holly was born Gail Hawley Butler on May 10, 1937, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, to Harvey Edward and Eunice Elen (Billenwillms) Butler.
Holly spent her first 12 years in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and was often heard singing on the radio. She moved to Vancouver, B.C., when her father was killed on the railroad. Holly went to school at King George High until her mother died in 1954.
She worked at the bank and at Pier BC for the railroad, and in 1956 went north to Fort St. John, where she was one of the first women to work in the field of a construction job in B.C. and met her husband, Gordon.
They settled in Prince George, B.C., until they separated in 1968. Holly sold real estate in Vancouver, B.C., Hawaii, and California, and was frequently salesperson of the year in Canada.
She also owned three sports bars – The Spot in Mountlake Terrace and The Quarterback and Slo Pitch in Bellingham. She was an avid sports fan and Go Hawks! was a frequent refrain.
Holly spent several years in Lahaina on the island of Maui and always felt very connected to all her many friends there and to the island of Maui.
During her retirement, she moved to Bellingham from Maui due to health problems. She later moved to Mill Creek and spent her time with friends from the Mill Creek YMCA, moving to Mountlake Terrace in 2023.
She married Gordon Thomas Quinn in 1958.
She married Bernard John Reiter in 1971.
She is survived by her children, Cynda Quinn Bennett, Darla Basteyns, and Shaun LaCour; stepchildren Melynda and Michael Reiter; grandchildren Jeromy Reiter (Michelle), Gordon Durham (Brie), Leslie Durham, Lauren LaCour, Tanner Vaughn (Cinzia), Blake Vaughn, Shaun Basteyns, Brandon Gipson, Matthew Lindeman, and Rachelle Lindeman; and great-grandchildren Nathan, Cooper, Kyla, Daylyn, Lyla, Ryla, Maddox, and Addison.
Holly was an extrovert and was also known as “Pinky.” She started dyeing her hair pink many years ago, which garnered lots of positive attention and energy, which she loved. She highly recommends this to anyone in their older years who feels invisible.
Holly was a lot of fun, loved to laugh, and was a ray of light to many. She loved selling real estate. She was a great listener to our many friends, loved to dance, and prided herself on keeping a positive mindset.
Her favorite times were spent with family and friends, and her biggest personal accomplishment, outside of the birth of her children, was her solo flight as a pilot.
She was very loved and will be missed dearly.
