Anita Louise (Tester) Whelchel went home to Jesus on November 25, 2025, at the age of 77.

Anita was born to Edward and Joanne (Gibbons) Tester on July 12, 1948, in Spokane, Washington.

She grew up in Spokane with her sister and best friend, Cathy, where they shared a love for music and spent many hours around the piano singing with their mom. She graduated from Rogers High School in 1966.

She met the love of her life on a blind date, and they married six weeks later on May 20, 1973 — though, in what became an inside joke, John would always say they were married on May 21st.

Her growing family moved frequently due to John’s work as an ironworker. They shared many adventures, beginning in a small slide-in camper in the back of their pickup in Alaska and continuing with several moves throughout their 45+ years of marriage. 

After traveling and moving with young children became more challenging, they settled in Caldwell, Idaho. With four children, life was always full, and her family remained her first priority.

Anita had worked for a bank as a young adult and once their youngest was in daycare, she resumed her lifelong career in the banking industry as a teller at Idaho First National Bank in Homedale. After multiple bank mergers, attending business classes, and moving between branches for promotions, she successfully launched US Bank’s Loan By Phone program before taking a management position that required travel to her branches in Council, Cambridge, Homedale, and Marsing. Anita retired as a branch manager in 2011 at the Caldwell location. She was very creative, and her employees and coworkers cherished the many skits, dances, and gifts she shared with them throughout the years.

Anita enjoyed traveling and went on many trips with John and with her sister and close friends. The family's annual summer vacations at the lake hold many fond memories of time together, singing, and bonfires on the beach.

She loved being a wife, mom, and grandma and spent as much time as possible loving on her family.

Anita was preceded in death by her husband, John, and both of her parents.

She is survived by their children: Tracy (Jim) Schneider, Lisa (Jerry) Breshears, Russ Whelchel, and Chris Whelchel; her grandchildren: John, Thressa, Kayci, and Jameson; and two great-granddaughters: Annie and Juliette. She is also survived by her sister, Cathy Lopez, along with many close brother-and sisters-in-law, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

The family will hold a celebration of life for Anita in the spring. They would like to extend special thanks to her caregiver, Sheri, for loving and caring for her over the last couple of years, as well as the staff at Grace Assisted Living Memory Care in Caldwell and Diana and her team with All Care Health Solutions.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to curealz.org.