Zina Mae Chesley Obituary (1922

Zina Mae Evans Chesley 4/10/1922-1/11/2012 Zina Mae was born to Clarence “Red” Evans and Blanche Bushnell Evans in Prosser on April 10, 1922. The family moved to Portland, Oregon where her sister Maxine was born. Zina Mae graduated from Portland’s Jefferson High School in 1941. Zina Mae attended Oregon State where she competed in Field Hockey and Swimming, received the “Orange O” Award for Distinction in Athletics in 1944 and graduated in 1945. In 1951 she earned a Master of Arts from Stanford University. She worked as a teacher in California and as a college professor at Central Washington in Ellensburg. On June 14, 1953 Zina Mae married Roy Chesley of Prosser. Their children are Jean Chesley Sautter, Shirley Chesley Savarese, and James Chesley, all born in Prosser. Zina Mae earned Red Cross Water Safety and First Aid Instructor credentials and began to teach swimming in Prosser in 1940. She taught and coached swimming for over 30 years. Zina Mae was a Job’s Daughter and a member of Eastern Star and a member of the Prosser First Presbyterian Church. She was a Camp Fire Girls leader, 4-H leader and the mother of an Eagle Scout. Zina Mae served as President of the Prosser Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and knitted thousands of pairs of slippers that were sold in the Hospital gift case. Zina Mae was a member of the Prosser School Board for 6 ½ years. She also held the office of President of the Prosser Woman’s Club and Meridian. In 1967 Zina Mae was named Prosser Outstanding Lady of the Year. In 1973 Zina Mae was President of the Library Study Group as Prosser replaced the Carnegie Library with the present Library building. Zina Mae was serving on the Prosser City Planning Board when she turned eighty. She was a member of the Yakima Weavers Guild and Desert Fiber Arts and taught Fiber Arts nationally. Zina Mae lost Roy to cancer in 1994. Preceding her in death were her parents and her sister Maxine Evans Rupert. She is survived by Jean and Steve Sautter of Missoula, Montana, Shirley Savarese of Portland, Oregon and Jim and Dianna Chesley of Finley, Washington. Grandchildren are Janelle Grow Handlos, Jerilyn Grow, Mar y Sol Savarese, Jennifer Chesley Tomasino, Jessica Chesley, Kathryn Chesley, Rebekah Chesley and 4 members of the U. S. Navy Vinessa Savarese Atkisson, James Chesley II, Zechariah Chesley and Nathanael Chesley. Zina Mae and Roy have 3 Great-Grandchildren, Taylor Handlos, Audrey Tomasino and Gabriel Tomasino. The memorial service will be held at the Prosser First Presbyterian Church at 11:00 AM on Saturday, January 28th. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers contributions be made to the Prosser Scholarship Foundation, Prosser First Presbyterian Church or the American Cancer Society.