"Anna Marie Mentink, 95, of Washington died May 9, 2023, at the Wyngate Senior Living. She was born May 12, 1927, in Doss, Texas, a daughter of the late John Jacob and Hulda Pearl Dittmar.

She was trained as a military nurse in San Antonio, Texas during the Second World War and served as nurse for the US Army hospital in Texas prior to her marriage and relocation to Michigan. She was employed and retired from Jackson County Medical Care as a Registered Nurse and Facility Director.

She grew up on a ranch with a large family in the hill country of Texas. As she was the second youngest of the family, she had a light workload until all but one of her bothers and one sister left for war service. The town nearest to her was filled with her relatives and they generally all spoke German. She learned English when she started public school. She met her husband while in nurses' training and was married to Henry Mentink after graduation in 1947. She moved to Michigan with Henry and had to wait to be employed as a surgical nurse until she turned 21. She raised two boys on a farm in Michigan while always hoping to return to Texas. She once mentioned that she was not going to make many friends in Michigan as she was going to go back to Texas. 45 years after arriving in Michigan she and Henry relocated to Mena, Arkansaw where they lived until Henry's death in 2009. She then relocated to West Virginia to be closer to her son, John. She was never happier than when she was surrounded by her family - unless she was also in Texas. Anna loved to travel and see new places. Her last destination was a cruise thru the Panama Canal at age 88 with her sister, Puddle (Hulda Pearl) age 85. With a side trip of an 11-leg zip line treetop tour through the jungle. She had a blast because she got to go first.

Anna is survived by two sons, John Jacob (Sue) Mentink of Washington, WV, Henry William Mentink of Chattanooga, TN; six grandchildren: Christine Diedrich, Janice Allen, Zackary Mentink, Mariel Mentink, Autumn Mentink, and Kyle Mentink; eight great grandchildren: Ben Diedrich, Arlo Diedrich, Jane Diedrich, Nora Allen, Emmett Allen, Mabel Mentink, Jude Mentink, and Owen Mentink.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Henry William Mentink and eleven siblings: Elgin Dittmar, Wilhelm Dittmar, Bertha Meyer, Walter Dittmar, Louise Dittmar, Arthur Dittmar, Hilmar Dittmar, Arnold Dittmar, Victor Dittmar, John Dittmar, Hulda Pearl Tipton

Memorial Services will be held June 4, 2023, at 3 PM at the First Lutheran Church, Parkersburg, WV with Reverend Ian Reid officiating.

Visitation will be held Sunday, June 4th from 12-2 pm at the Leavitt Funeral Home, 403 Seventh Street, Parkersburg WV 26101 prior to the service at the church.

Inurnment will be held at the convenience of the family in Doss, Texas at a later date."

(Leavitt Funeral Services & Crematory - Parkersburg, W.V. - May, 2023)