Lenore Kay Loomis Obituary (1957 - 2026)

Lenore Kay Loomis, 69, of Yakima, Washington, passed away on March 10, 2026. She was born on March 9, 1957, in Sunnyside, Washington, to Geraldine "Gerry" Patricia Yeager Loomis and Len Alvin Loomis, as the youngest of four children. Lenore was a strong and hardworking woman who faced many challenges throughout her life with resilience and determination. She was known for her generosity and love for animals, especially dogs. She was a friend to all, kind and accepting with the spicy Loomis humor and dry wit. She spent much of her life in hands-on work, her brother Jim described her as a botanist, her sister said she never met a weed that survived her eagle eye! In our memory she is seen harvesting wild mushrooms to sell to restaurants. She joyfully passed time making beaded jewelry that she gifted to people she loved. She also loved to gather walnuts and enjoyed the preparation of shelling and bagging them! She was an avid jam maker, every year she would harvest fruit and make delicious conserve to share with those she loved. She was a collector of vintage things and could see the beauty in her treasures that were undisturbed by time. Her varied jobs included bartending, working many years in concessions at various fairs across the state as well as the Central Washington State fair and we all knew she was Queen of the Cotton Candy. She also did physical labor roles working in nature, diligently doing grounds work at the Yakima Arboretum. Everywhere she went she was known for her toughness and her ability to keep going no matter what came her way. Despite life’s difficulties, she found joy in the people and things she loved most—her boyfriend, Charle; her dogs Little and Steven; and especially her family. She deeply loved her children, Juston and Shealynn, and cherished her role as a grandmother. She is survived by her significant other of 30 years, Charle Gharet; her children, Juston Loomis of California and Shealynn Rector of South Carolina; her grandchildren Malachi Rector and Kirrah Gossett of South Carolina; her siblings, Linda Galloway, Jim Loomis, and Bert (Corine) Loomis of Yakima, Washington; nieces and nephews Jason Galloway, Andy Loomis, Jennifer Pletz, Trish Paradise and Hillary Galloway-Gilbert as well as numerous extended family members. She was preceded in death by her parents, Geraldine and Len Loomis and was met at the rainbow bridge by the love of her life, her little dog Stalker. Lenore will be remembered for her generosity, her independence, and the connections she held close. A gathering to celebrate Lenore’s life will be held at the Yakima Arboretum at 1401 Arboretum Drive, Yakima WA 98901 on Friday May 29th 2026 from 12:00 - 4:00 coffee and a light lunch will be provided, please come and bring your memories to share. The family appreciates your thoughts and prayers during this time. In lieu of flowers please make any donations to the Yakima Arboretum in Lenore's memory