Mildred M. "Micki" Kazanis

KAZANIS, Mildred "Micki" M.

Micki (Mildred M.) Kazanis was born in Helena, Montana on May 28, 1936, and passed with her three closest family members present and comforting her on May 2, 2011. Micki battled Pulmonary Fibrosis with strength and dignity for the last 3 ½ years. Micki was raised in Helena, and went on to graduate from Montana State University in Bozeman in 1958. Micki, and her four close lifelong friends were the first women to ever live off campus in an apartment at MSU.
After graduation, Micki moved to Spokane with one of her college roommates and took a job at Deaconess Hospital. She met her husband shortly after moving to Spokane, who she married in November of 1959, and remained married until his death in 1998. They had two children, Alyson and Andy. In the mid 1980's, Micki and her husband Dick moved to Nevada, but the lure of Spokane, and family, brought them back in 1998 after Dick's retirement.
Despite the strong anchor of Spokane, Micki's roots in Montana always played a strong role in her life. Countless trips were made to Helena while her children were growing up, and frequent family reunions continue to this day.
Micki was involved with many clubs and organizations. The neighborhood "Bridge Club," which originated in the late 1960's formed strong family friendships which remain to this day (long after a single hand of bridge has been played). Another club near and dear to Micki's heart was the "hooker club." This club was involved in the art of elaborate, traditional rug making. Despite the wholesome nature of this club, Micki loved the "shock value," of telling people she was a "hooker." One of Micki's more recent groups (in the last ten years) had been the "Bridlewood Bookies." Micki and her neighbors formed this group after she moved to the Bridlewood community following her husband Dick's death in 1998. In this club Micki enjoyed keeping up on current literature, and forming even more lifelong friendships. Domestic abuse was one of Micki's lifelong champion causes, and she spent time as a volunteer on a domestic abuse crisis line during her years in Elko.
Micki was known as "Auntie Ootie," to dozens of nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. In addition, she had four grandchildren. Each time one of these children (some of which are now in their 50's) came into a room, Micki's face would light up, and she would say with a big grin, "how you doin' kid b?" Micki was as easy to talk to by any of these "kids," as the closest of friends experience.
Micki is preceded in death by her sister Shirley, her husband Dick, and her mother Edna. Micki is survived by her children Alyson and her husband David, Andy and his wife Peggy, her sister Winnie, her grandchildren Demi, Patrick, Drew and Katie, and as mentioned earlier, almost countless nieces, nephews and grandnieces and nephews. Micki is also survived by a large contingent on her husband Dick's side of the family.
Micki passed on lessons in strength and courage to those around her that everyone could learn from. Micki never uttered a word of complaint about her situation, or her condition. During the last 24 hours of her time with us, she greeted Hospice caregivers cheerfully. The day before her death, she replied to a Hospice nurse that she was doing fine, how was he?
She will be missed by all.
Services will be held at the Universal Unitarian Church at 4340 West Fort George Wright Drive at 3 PM on Friday, May 6. Service will be followed by a celebration of her life.
A sincere thank you to everyone at the Waterford, and Hospice of Spokane, we could not have gotten through this without you.
Charitable donations can be made in Micki's honor to Hope House, or Hospice of Spokane.