Anita Sue Mekus
Feb. 28, 1970-Sept. 16, 2021
Anita Sue Mekus was
born February 28, 1970, in
Minot, N.D., the fifth
child born to Donavon
and Adeline Newnam.
She died September 16,
2021, at Brooks Memorial
Hospital in Dunkirk, N.Y.,
of natural causes. Anita
attended Nedrose Elemen-
tary School in Minot,
N.D., and graduated from
Magic City Campus,
Minot Public Schools, in
1988.
Before settling in
Fredonia, N.Y., around
2004, Anita lived in Flori-
da and Alaska. While in
Alaska, she worked as a
supervisor at a temporary
staffing company, eventu-
ally leaving to train and
work as a certified dental
assistant in pediatric
orthodontics, where she
loved caring for the chil-
dren. In New York, she
was a highly-regarded re-
ceptionist at Heritage
Ministries, Gerry, NY. She
enjoyed working with the
seniors so much, she ulti-
mately studied and
be-came a Licensed Prac-
tical Nurse and was em-
ployed again at Heritage
Ministries as an LPN, dis-
tributing medications to
residents for several
years, until she decided to
stay at home with her
children in 2020.
After several years of
working as a receptionist
at Heritage, she (and her
husband at the time) had
completed her family with
four children by 2013,
whom they were actively
raising together (beloved
daughters, Angelina,
Hailie, and Grace, and
beloved son, Caleb). Anita
also sought spiritual fel-
lowship in her communi-
ty; she was baptized with
her children at First Unit-
ed Methodist, Fredonia,
N.Y., most recently parti-
cipating in on-line ser-
vices at North Ridge Unit-
ed Methodist Church,
Lockport, N.Y. She and
her children read and dis-
cussed the entire New
Testament last year while
she homeschooled them
and worked to instill god-
ly values and habits into
their lives. It was impor-
tant to Anita that her chil-
dren attend Christian
school.
Anita had many
creative talents and en-
joyed many arts and crafts
throughout her life. She
was a prolific and talented
amateur artist/painter in
recent years and crochet-
ed many custom and ori-
ginal “stuffies” (toys for
adults and children alike)
for many years; she even
ventured into the crafting
marketplace online to sell
items at times. Mostly she
enjoyed giving her handi-
crafts as gifts to her family
and many treasured
friends with whom she
kept in close contact,
some since childhood.
Many strangers have been
recipients of her fun and
inspirational paintings on
suitable flat rocks that she
and her children would
design and paint together
and leave in public places
and parks (especially
when they took their dog
“Happy” on walks) for
others to find and claim
or just enjoy for a mo-
ment. (The family cat “Ro-
sie” was also much
loved.) Anita’s children
were her number one
priority and she ensured
they had as many adven-
tures as possible, traveling
to scenic parks, zoos and
other places of interest,
including a long road trip
with all four children
from their home in New
York to visit family in
North Dakota and Monta-
na and back to New York
in 2017. One of their
favorite summer pastimes
was beach glass hunt-ing
at Point Gratiot Park and
watching sunsets at Bar-
celona Harbor. Her closest
friends treasured time
spent together raising
their children.
She is survived by: her
four children: Angelina,
Hailie, Grace, and Caleb;
mother Adeline Newnam;
brothers: Calvin, Byron
(Michaela, nephews
Wyatt and Westley) all of
Minot, N.D.; and Jack of
Fostoria, Ohio; sisters:
Bonnie (Mark) Peters of
Cassadaga, N.Y., Nancy
(Fred) Seroski of Billings,
Montana; niece Holly
Peters (great nephew
Noah Dona-von); great un-
cle Leonard Lund, aunt
Audrey Cordner, aunt
Dorothy Hamilton, uncle
Garold (LuAnn) Hamilton
and many cousins and
friends.
She was preceded in
death by: her cherished
“Dad,” Donavon, paternal
and maternal
grandparents, as well as
several aunts, uncles, and
cousins.
In lieu of flowers/gifts, a
memorial in support of
Anita’s children may be
sent via gofundme.com,
search Anita Mekus, and
choose the fundraiser or-
ganized by her sister,
Nancy Seroski at gofund
me.com/Anita-Mekus.