Rita Zastrow was escorted to her heavenly existence on Nov. 13, 2021, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

She was born on Sept. 14, 1948, in Roseburg, Oregon to Marguerite (Welsh) Martin and Thomas Joseph Martin. She attended Roseburg schools, graduating from high school with the class of 1966. After spending a year in Hawaii and attending college she arrived in Aberdeen, where she became a staff member of the Aberdeen YMCA. She met and married her husband and life partner in 1979 and they moved to the Elma area in 2001.

Rita’s life was focused on helping others. As a longtime lifeguard she rescued and saved many adults and children and was always on alert when around the water. In the mid ’90s she became a court appointed Confidential Intermediary to assist in finding and uniting persons in the adoption triangle. Many good friends were made as a result of helping people find answers to questions they had about their beginnings.

Rita retired from Grays Harbor County Superior Court in 2013.

Rita loved sewing, quilting and many other crafts. Starting in 1994 she was a machine quilter, an art she perfected and did many quilts for family and friends.

Rita was preceded in death by her parents and an older brother Thomas Jr. She is survived by her husband Trent, a son Christopher of Montana, brother Patrick (Mary) of Westport, brother James (Cathy) of Roseburg, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date.