Anita Blake Hokanson was born on July 13, 1939 in Grimsby Lincolnshire England to Albert Blake and Phyllis Kinloch Reade Blake. She was welcomed by an older sister Valerie and later welcomed a younger brother Steve. The month Anita was born, Hitler began his invasion of Europe. She spent the first years of her life growing up during the ravages of WWII. She spent time in Kingston upon Hull, the most heavily bombed part of England by the Germans. It was not uncommon to spend evenings in a bomb shelter built in their back garden. After the war, things slowly returned to normal. She spent time with her many relatives playing and creating fond memories that they always shared throughout the years. Schooling, theater, music, and ballet were some of the interests and hobbies of her youth, and she became an expert in knitting and crochet skills she shared with many others over the years.

Later in life, missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stopped by her home and visited with her mother who said she was not interested, but she stated she had a daughter that might be. Anita later accepted the restored Gospel and became a member of the church. She accepted a call to serve a full time mission in England. She met many lifelong friends and was able to share the Gospel with her fellow countrymen. She received an opportunity to come to the United States and work at the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City, Utah after her mission. She arrived in the United States and three days later President Kennedy was assassinated. She would reply when asked what she thought of that historical event with, “I wondered, what kind of country had I come to!”

At a mission reunion she met with an elder she was acquainted with by the name of Kenneth Miller Hokanson. His former companion, Brent Gudgell, was a bit of a matchmaker in this meeting. After several weeks of driving to SLC from Thayne, WY to date, Kenneth proposed and the rest is history! To this union were born Neil, Elizabeth, and Patricia. They spent many wonderful years on the Hokan Hokanson homestead that they purchased in Thayne near the Greenhead Slough, Flat Creek, and Salt River. They raised registered purebred Herefords and ran a dairy for many years in partnership with Wilford Hemmert on the Salt River Hereford Ranch.

Anita later worked for the school district as an aide and librarian at Holdaway Elementary for many years. She loved her students and the staff she worked with. She was even able to be with her oldest granddaughter, Hannah, when she started Kindergarten. Health issues took her into retirement, and she was able to enjoy her grandchildren that came to her family over the years. Anita and Kenneth also enjoyed spending time in the Rowlett, Texas area later in life.

Anita served in many church callings with wonderful members and friends in both Thayne Wards including Relief Society President of the Thayne Ward. She volunteered in the community through the Star Valley Arts Council, 4-H, and served anyone that was in need. She grew to love Star Valley even though it was much different and far away from the home of her youth, it became her new home.

Anita passed away on November 18, 2024 in Texas and was preceded in death by her immediate family members, father Albert Blake and mother Phyllis Kinloch Reade Blake, and her husband Kenneth Miller Hokanson. She is survived by her sister Valerie Pickard and brother Steve Blake and several brothers and sisters in law on her husband’s side; her son Neil and his wife Dianna and their children Hannah, Charles & wife Marrisa, Ronan, Nicholas, and Heather; Elizabeth and husband Charlie Hinton and son JR & wife Stephanie Hinton; and Patricia Hokanson; and many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews in the States, England, and other parts of the world.

A viewing will be held on Friday November 29th from 6-8 pm at the Schwab Funeral Chapel in Thayne, WY. A short “graveside service” will begin at the Schwab Funeral Chapel in Thayne, WY on Saturday November 30th at 10 am and will end at the Thayne Cemetery with the dedication of the gravesite. The family requests no flowers or plants please.