Grace Loraine Sleeth

Grace Loraine Burnett Sleeth, 92, died Oct. 10 at Kennewick General Hospital.

A graveside service will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Elgin Cemetery.

She was born Grace Thompson on Sept. 17, 1913, to Tom and Hannah Thompson in Bowbells, N.D. She joined eight brothers and five sisters, who all preceded her in death.

Grace graduated from elementary school on Aug. 23,1929. Shortly after graduation she married Orval Virgil Burnett on Dec. 15, 1929. From that union a son, Verle Leaman Burnett, was born on Oct. 2, 1936. The family lived at Starkey in the Blue Mountains near La Grande in a logging camp. There she made many lasting friendships and continued to meet with them each year at the old-timers pinic.

In 1950 she rented an apartment in La Grande so Verle could attend and graduate high school. At that time she worked in a cafeteria. Orval and Grace later moved to Elgin. Grace was an immaculate homemaker and cleaned homes for a living. Grandma "Nett" was well known for her coleslaw and afghans, which she made for all the family. She enjoyed having company over and could turn a small meal into a feast with what seemed like very little effort.

Grace and Orval enjoyed camping, fishing and hunting at first out of necessity, then as a pastime. Grace was very close to her son and grandchildren.

Grace was preceded in death by her first husband, Orval Burnett, in 1991.

That same year Grace met Kenneth Sleeth, and after servral months of dancing and dating the were married on Jan. 8, 1992.

Besides her siblings, also dying earlier were a niece Jean Blaylock, grandson, Michael Burnett and daughter-in-law Frances Burnett.

Grace is survived by her husband, Kenneth, of Kennewick; her son, Verle Burnett of Hermiston; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and five great-great grandchildren.