The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Our beautiful Mickey "flew away" on May 26th after a courageous battle against cancer.  Mickey was born in May, the first child of Charles S. "Chuck" Mead III and Dorothy K. "Dotty" O'Neil Mead, at St. Mary's Hospital in Walla Walla. She attended Dayton Schools, graduating in the "trendsetting" Class of 1968 from Dayton High School. Her adventures in college took her to the WSU Pullman, University of Iowa in Ames, and EWSC in Cheney, before opportunity was sighted at the Bernley School of Art in Seattle. Her training there in commercial art led her to move to San Francisco in 1976.

During Mickey's early years in San Francisco, she welcomed, lived with and helped settle family members: cousin Jack and brother Skip and sister Mary. She made friends quickly and soon another opportunity led to a successful career as a legal secretary. Even though this path may not have been in her plan, during her years in the legal field she developed many lasting relationships, and was able to thrill at the panoramic views from the One California Street offices.  She met Robert Rivera and married him in a ceremony on the North Shore of Kauai in 1988, after being "given away" by her father.  She embraced all members of the Rivera family, and they, her. Robert and Mickey later divorced.  Recently, Mickey found a partner in Regina Weldert with whom she shared many common interests and enjoyed a fulfilling relationship.

Mickey was a gifted artist, which was evidenced throughout her life.  From her childhood her skills in drawing, painting and piano playing were developed and her appreciation and abilities in the arts continued to be a part of her life much to the delight of all of her family and friends. Her tastes in music were broad and perhaps a bit quirky.  She chose Billy Idol's "White Wedding" for her sister's wedding morning music!

In 2007, Mickey returned to the Dayton area to be with family, and she especially relished the time she spent with her dad in his last years. Mickey always had a special love for her family, and to all she encountered she was generous and nurturing, brainy and bohemian, warm and welcoming. She possessed a natural beauty and ease that made everyone's day brighter.

As part of her nurturing spirit, she always brought animals home to the Ranch and they remained as living symbols of her caring and soft heart, which her dad shared and fell for every time.

Mick is survived by Regina Weldert at their home, her beloved mother Dotty, siblings Mary, Kay (Brad), and Skip (Julia), nephews, Charlie (Whitney) and Marcus (Lacey), great nieces Hailey and Gwendolen, great nephews Owen, Weston and Chase, first cousins Mike, Jack and Jim Hubbard and Anne O'Neil and their children, special cousins Mike and Helen O'Neil.

She is preceded in death by her father, Chuck, and aunt, Patricia O'Neil Hubbard.

A memorial service will be held at the First Congregational Church in Dayton at 11:11 a.m. Saturday, June3, 2017. Pastor Marj Johnston will officiate; a reception will follow in the Fireside Room. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Patricia K. Hubbard Memorial Scholarship Fund or to the First Congregational Church of Dayton.

To Mickey we say.."Ciao for now."