Anita Jean Kain Sökmen, Sept. 17, 1947 – April 15, 2016

Born in 1947 Raymond, WA, an educator, but mostly an avid learner, our eternal love and joy, our "Neet", passed away peacefully on April 15, 2016. Her son Joseph and lifetime partner Süheyl were at her bedside. Tributes to the Cancer Research Foundation(s). Seattle Times Obituary

A Memorial Service was held May 1 at the University Club, U of W, Seattle.

From Anita’s MHS65 Website Profile:  “Initially, with a BA in German, I was a high school German & English instructor in Shoreline and Edmonds School Districts. After receiving an MA in Applied Linguistics, I taught English language on the university level and served eventually as the Associate Director of UW's International & English Language Programs.

My career has been devoted to international and language education, including writing several English language textbooks. 

I have lived in Freiburg, Bogota, and London, where I studied, worked, and/or enthusiastically played. Freiburg, a medieval university city, continues to inspire me: I am both the innocent abroad I was at 20 and the experienced woman I am in my 60s.
At one time I spoke Spanish with the clarity of a Bogota accent, but that, I discovered, was a light flirtation. Presently, I am working on recovering and improving my German, a language I fell in love with my senior year at MHS. Like most love affairs, the road has not always been easy.”