Mount Vernon - Frances "June" Kite, 88, longtime resident of Mount Vernon, WA passed away peacefully on December 31, 2021.

June was born on the Whitson homestead in Rushville, IL to James and Nettie Whitson.   The family moved to Kennewick, WA where she graduated from high school.  She graduated from Washington State College, then moved to Wichita, Kansas for nurses training where she met her husband, Wayne Kite.  They married and made their first home in Oklahoma before moving to Mount Vernon, WA in 1963.

June dedicated her career helping and caring for others as a Registered Nurse, working in surgery, recovery, intensive care and emergency rooms.  She worked at the Hospital in Oklahoma City, Skagit Valley Hospital, Yakima Hospital and Everett General Hospital where she retired in 1992.  She was admired and respected by her patients and colleagues.  After her retirement, she continued living a life of service and working on things she was passionate about.  She was an active member of the churches she attended, singing in the choir at the Warm Beach Free Methodist Church, volunteering as a nurse at the Warm Beach Church Camp, volunteering for Skagit County Elections and volunteering at Friends of Skagit County (FOSC), serving as President for many years at FOSC.  A quote from a colleague at FOSC, "Friends of Skagit County and the citizens of Skagit owe much of its rural character, farm and forest conservation to the work of June Kite.  We will all miss her wisdom, skill, tenacity and humor."

June lived an active and full life, volunteering, walking daily, swimming at the YMCA several times a week and spending much time with her family, helping with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.   She was an avid reader and an extremely competitive scrabble player.  She loved traveling and spending time with her siblings and took many memorable trips with them.  Family was everything to her, from her Sunday dinners to holiday celebrations to spoiling her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

June is survived by her children, Steve (Debbie) Kite, Jana (Jeff) Fernandes, grandchildren Brian Kite, Danielle (Sean) Kelly, Callie (Jesse) Strinden, Ben Fernandes, and Whitney (Kevin) Davis.  Great-grandchildren, Madison Kelly, Kailee Weisz-Kite, Taylor Kite, and McKenzie Davis.  Brothers, Art (Wilma) Whitson, Roger (June) Whitson, sister Dorothy (Alan) King and stepsister Elvaretta Butler and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by Wayne Kite, her parents James and Nettie Whitson and stepfather Charles Bennett.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Warm Beach Free Methodist Church, 20815 Marine Dr, Stanwood, WA 98292 on Saturday, February 19, 2022, at 2:00 pm

In lieu of flowers, donations in June's memory can be made to Hospice of the Northwest Foundation, 227 Freeway Dr, Suite A, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 or Friends of Skagit County (FOSC), PO Box 2632, Mount Vernon, WA 98273.

Please visit www.hawthornefh.com to share your thoughts and memories and sign the online guest register.  Arrangements are under the care of Hawthorne Funeral Home, Mount Vernon, WA.