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Ronish comes back home
Kurtis J. Wood/Post-Register
Karen Ronish is certain to have a busy Christmas with four young children.
When Karen Ronish and her family moved into a new house several years ago, her four children were excited to have the extra room and a big yard to run around in. The house, located out in the country in southwest Quincy, was certainly nice enough, and functional.
But for Ronish, living in the house took some getting used to, even though she was familiar with the dwelling.
“I grew up in that house,” said Ronish, the daughter of Rudy and Shirley Stetner. “It was getting too big for my parents, so we moved in. It was a little strange at first, but once you put in your own furniture and paint it a different color, it’s fine. We didn’t have to make any major changes anyway, because it was in pretty good shape.
“I was talking to Patty Jones, who also lives in the house she grew up in, and we were discussing how to redo a kitchen that’s already in good shape. But it’s been a blessing. There’s tons of room and the kids enjoy it.”
Speaking of the kids, Ronish’s set of four keeps her and husband, Rollie, plenty busy. Their oldest, Rollie III, is 12 years old and is interested in sports and music (he plays drums and guitar for the First Assembly of God worship team). Sam, 8, and Tucker, 5, play baseball and soccer. Danielle, 8, Sam’s twin, plays the piano.
“There’s lots of sports and lots of music,” Ronish said. “We’ve got a music room downstairs that’s filled (with instruments). It’s busy, but fun.”
Ronish is also connected to her children through her volunteer work in school classrooms.
“I think it’s very important to know what your kids are being taught,” she said. “Plus I get to see who their friends are and how they are socializing.”
Her husband is a potato farmer, working with three of her cousins — Doug, Rick and Rod Stetner — for Stetner Farms.
Karen was born in Wenatchee and raised in Quincy. After graduating from high school, she attended South Seattle Community College, earning a degree in forestry and landscaping, before returning to Quincy in the 1980s with Rollie, a former logger.
“I used (the degree) for a couple years,” she said. “Before I had the kids I worked at the old Quincy Flower place over by the post office. I worked on the farm for a few years. I have always liked decorating with flowers, doing yardwork and planting things. I have a good-sized yard.”
In recent years she’s also come across another intriguing hobby.
“My passion is scrapbooking,” she said. “But I’m never caught up with it because I’m always taking pictures. I have a few albums finished, but I need to find more time for the actual scrapbooking part of it.”
Karen is also active in her church, teaching kindergarten and second-grade girls every Wednesday night as part of the Missionettes Club.
“We teach them about God and do a lot of fun things,” she said. “I love them. They’re a lot of fun.”
Ronish embraces country life and small-town living because it’s basically all she has ever known.
“I like the beauty of the small town and the convenience of being able to drive anywhere I want, like to Seahawks games or shopping,” she said. “I prefer the small town. Less traffic. I love the country.”
And her old, familiar country home.
