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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.