With unending love for her family and friends, Nita Prine was a gift to her friends and loved ones. She took great care in making her loved ones feel special, and she was the sort of person who would do anything for anyone. A more devoted mother would be hard to find, but Nita just may have argued that becoming a grandmother was her greatest source of pride and joy. One of her favorite places to be was in the kitchen, and everything she made was heavily laden with love. It was no secret that Nita shared the majority of her life with her true love, and together they experienced so many of the best things that life has to offer. Her laughter, her smile, and her love will be forever cherished by those too numerous to count.
During the first half of the 1940’s, the eyes of our nation were focused overseas as countless young servicemen and women were deeply entrenched in the perils of WWII. Those who remained stateside became all too familiar with rationing on common goods like rubber, paper, sugar, and coffee while loved ones gathered around radios eagerly awaiting the latest news from the front lines. Amidst this eventful time was a time of great celebration in the lives of a young couple from Hermosa Beach, California, as they welcomed a healthy baby girl into their hearts and home on Oct. 3, 1942. She was one of seven children in her family, joined by her brothers, Robert and Darrell, and her sisters, Barbara, Virginia, Lucy, and Debbie. When a job opportunity in Northeast Indiana proved to be a good fit for Nita’s father, their family moved to Laud, a small town South of Columbia City. Nita was 12 years old at the time. She attended local schools there including Columbia City Joint High School.
Life was forever changed for Nita when she met the young man who would forever hold the key to her heart. His name was Richard Prine, and they met at a local countryside barn dance. Sparks flew right from the start, and it wasn’t long before the couple found themselves deeply in love. With a desire to spend the rest of their lives together Nita and Richard were united in marriage on Jan. 30, 1960. The newlyweds moved to Ft. Wayne where they welcomed two daughters, Christina and Jeanette, into their hearts and home. While their children were young, Richard worked hard as a draftsman for International Harvester, which allowed Nita to focus her attention at home.
Nita took outstanding care of her family. Their vacations were usually spent camping, and they also enjoyed renting a cabin up at Lake Gage or Coldwater Lake. She was an amazing cook and baker who never followed a recipe but just knew how to cook by heart. Nita learned to bake and decorate cakes from her mother, and she never missed decorating a cake to celebrate the birthday of a friend or family member. It has been said she never made anything that tasted bad, and sadly, she wasn’t able to pass down her recipes since they weren’t written down. Nita’s house was something to see at Christmas as she went all out when decorating both her home and her tree. She wrapped each and every gift with great care, and of course making Christmas dinner was something she loved as well. Since she collected Santa figurines, they were all over her house.
Throughout her life Nita was always one to keep busy. Once her children were in their teens, she took a job she truly enjoyed at The Posey Shoppe. Nita was also into crafts and sewing. She was an amazing doll maker and also built her own large doll house that was fully decorated complete with functioning lights. This really isn’t surprising since she was a genuine DIY “do-it-your-selfer” who knew how to work her power tools very well. Even her grandchildren knew that Nita was the one to call when they needed help – especially when it came to installing household appliances! Gardening was another favorite pastime. Nita was always very close with her older sister, Lucy, and they were nearly inseparable and got together every Monday and Friday. The two sisters did all kinds of things together including restoring an old horse-drawn sleigh completely inside and out.
Nita was deeply saddened with the death of her beloved husband on Sept. 13, 1999. Although she was devastated without him, Nita found comfort, strength, and hope in her family. She was delighted to be a grandmother, and she even took an active role in helping to raise her two grandchildren. As a dog lover, Nita found such companionship in her dog, Taya. It was so trying for Nita when Taya died this past Dec., but with the help of her children, she was able to find new joy in her life when Kali joined the family this past March.
All who knew Nita Prine would agree that she was an extraordinary woman in every way. She was a woman of amazing strength and courage who was never concerned with building wealth or gaining possessions, rather, her focus was on living fully in the moments she was given. Nita devoted her life to her loved ones and was happiest when surrounded by their love.
Nita Prine, of Fort Wayne, died on Tuesday, June 23, 2015, at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne.
Nita’s family includes her daughters: Christina (Rodney) Kelley, Columbia City; and Jeanette Bochard, Fort Wayne; brothers: Robert (Linda) Yates, South Whitley; and Darrell (Linda) Yates, Columbia City; sisters: Barbara (Carroll) Noll, Wolcottville; Virginia Miller, Ontario, Calif.; Lucy Schrader, Columbia City; and Debbie (Mike) Erwin, Atlanta, Ga.; grandchildren: Alisha (Danny) Shannon; and Matthew (Ben Bingham) Bochard, both of Fort Wayne; great-grandson: Zakari Shannon; and her puppy: Kali. Nita was preceded in death by her parents; husband: Richard, in 1999; and her four-legged child: Taya.
Visitation will be held on from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Friday, June 26, at DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home, Columbia City. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, June 27, at the funeral home with Certified Funeral Celebrant Sharon Brockhaus officiating.
Memorial donations may be made to Visiting Nurse and Hospice Home or Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana.