Arla Mae M. “Arla” Vannett took her last breath on June 9, 2025 surrounded by her loving family and passed peacefully at home in Hermiston. Surely Wayne, who passed away on Sept. 3, 2024, was excited to see her and celebrate their 72nd anniversary, which was on June 8.
She was born on April 4, 1934 in Harvey, N.D. to Nick and Pauline Cartwright on their family farm. Arla Mae was the fifth of six children: Tommy, Mary Lou, Patricia, Angeline, Arla Mae and Ron.
Arla Mae attended elementary and junior high school at White Township School in Harvey, N.D., then two years at Martin High School and two years at Anamoose High School. Arla Mae went on to attend Minot State University and taught school at Renville Corner in Minot for one year, teaching eight kids in the lower elementary grades. Arla Mae lived with her sister, Mary Lou, in the downstairs of Aunt Ida’s house. While in college, Arla Mae met the man who declared within the first week of dating her that he was going to marry her. Sure enough, on June 8, 1953, Arla Mae married Wayne Stanley Vannett in Anamoose, N.D. Arla Mae and Wayne’s life together was a perfect match. From their wedding reception where they danced until 2 a.m., they continued to dance through life, balancing and nurturing their time together and raising their family.
Arla Mae and Wayne had six children: Michael Vannett (Montra), Pauline Okland (Bill), Michele Meadows, Angel Piatt (Kevin), Nick Vannett (Shannon) and Leon (Jill). The first five kids were born in Minot, N.D. Leon, the youngest, was born in Hermiston. There are 25 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild. Even with this size family, can you believe that she sent birthday and anniversary cards to everyone?!! Oh, and Christmas… everyone got a gift and last Christmas, she did it big as she felt it may be her last one to shower everyone with gifts.
Arla Mae and Wayne lived in Minot for 12 years, then in 1965 moved to Weiser, Idaho for six months, with a short stay in Milton-Freewater. Their last move was to Hermiston, where they lived out their lives.
Arla Mae was a stay-at-home mom for the most part until the kids were all in school. Arla Mae worked swing shift in the admitting office of the local hospital for a few years while in Minot. Over the years, Arla Mae used her domestic talents to provide extra income for the family: sewing, ironing, babysitting and cleaning house, and for a while she even cleaned the Catholic church (the kids helped, too). Arla Mae also worked over the years for a newspaper, a cannery, Walchli Packing Shed, Lamb Weston, Marlette Homes (drapery department), the Umatilla County Extension Office, Mark Fertilizer and Wilbur-Ellis as a secretary. Of all the jobs Arla Mae had, the most significant and rewarding was that of being a mom, achieving great success at providing a loving home for all her children and her husband.
Anyone who knew Arla Mae knew what a sweetheart she was. Arla Mae was so beautiful inside and out and had such a warm smile. Arla Mae’s attitude on life was always so positive, as was Wayne’s. The kids are all very grateful for this outlook, as it set a great standard. She had a sharp mind and showed gratitude to everyone who ever did anything for her, whether it was a kind word, a gesture, a gift, a visit, a card, hooking up her TPN, absolutely anything; no matter how she was feeling, she was grateful and said thank you. She touched the lives of everyone she met, including staff members when she was hospitalized over the years.
Arla Mae was a very gifted seamstress, sewing many articles of clothing for her family, including matching outfits and her daughters’ wedding dresses. She was also a wonderful cook and baker and loved dancing and singing. Arla Mae also loved playing card games like hand and foot and played her last game just a week before she passed. For years, Arla Mae would play backgammon with Wayne almost every day. Arla Mae began teaching card games to the kids starting at age 5, which assisted them in their math skills while spending quality time with their mom. Arla Mae took pride in her appearance, coordinating her shoes and jewelry with her outfits. She also set out Wayne’s clothes for special occasions, coordinating his clothes to hers.
Arla Mae was a member of Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church and sang in the choir for many years and was a long-standing member of the Catholic Daughters of America, receiving recognition as the Catholic Daughter of the Year in 2023/2024. Even if Arla Mae was not feeling well, she would always muster up enough energy to bake items for bake sales at the church. Arla Mae also volunteered at Good Shepherd Hospital for over 25 years in the education department and the auxiliary gift shop.
Arla Mae was a positive role model, devoted to her husband, family, friends, church and God. She was a strong and courageous woman and was definitely a fighter. She always said when the good Lord called her home she was ready, and on June 9 she was more than ready to join her husband, along with those who went before her including Nick and Pauline Cartwright, Tommy Cartwright, Patricia and Aaron Degenstein, Cicero and Alma Vannett, Carl and Iva Vannett, Robert and Gertrude Vannett, Lillian Vannett, Art and Opal Lautt, Emanuel Kesler, Harvey Albert, and son-in-law Michael Meadows and niece Kristina Vannett, along with many other relatives and friends.
Arla Mae, loving wife, mother, grandma, aunt and friend, will forever be missed and never forgotten.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held on Wednesday, July 2, 2025 at 2 p.m. at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Hermiston with Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 2:30 p.m.
Please share memories of Arla with her family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
