Louise “Toots” Mohoric, a lifetime resident of Chehalis, passed away peacefully on Feb. 12, 2023. She was 100 years young and 100 years loved. She was born to parents Delphine (Faver) and Emil Rutzer on May 8, 1922 at the family home in Pleasant Valley. She joined her sisters Helen Taylor and Edith Way, and brother Lawrence.
Toots attended Adna schools. On March 3, 1938 she married Frank Mohoric. They had three children: Bernice Craig, Nancy (Lee) Thomas, and Frank M. Mohoric, all of Chehalis. She leaves behind five grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and nine great-great-grandchildren.
Toots was a self-taught seamstress sewing for many years for her family and friends. She sewed many cheer outfits through the years for Adna High School’s cheerleaders. She was also a self-taught hairdresser and was happy to cut, curl and do a “permanent wave” for friends and family.
Toots was a wonderful cook and baker. She said more in her “younger years” she enjoyed cooking dinner for family and friends, always having time to bake a pie for dessert.
Through special friends she and Frank were introduced to traveling. Toots was happy to have visited Reno, Yellowstone National Park, Disneyland and Niagara Falls to name a few places. She often reflected on their trip to Switzerland and Yugoslavia where they met many relatives. Toots later shared many adventures traveling with her children and grandchildren which included trips to Hawaii, a Caribbean cruise, a few trips to Yuma, beach excursions and many local getaways.
Toots loved to dig clams and coming home for a big family clam feed. She loved playing cards (sometimes players were addressed with colorful names for moves they made) but all who knew her know her biggest love was to dance and then dance some more.
We will all miss her smile and the twinkle in her eyes.
Toots is preceded in death by her husband Frank, with whom she shared 67 years, her parents, her son Frank, and granddaughters Jennifer Dickinson and Maggie Engel.
There will be a graveside service for family at Claquato Cemetery on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. Following the service will be a celebration of life for Toots at the Adna High School Commons Room from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Lewis County Senior Center, 2545 N. National Avenue, Chehalis, Washington 98532, or Adna Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 93, Adna, Washington 98522.
