Anita (Benskin) Buchanan
11678 Denny Ave SW
Port Orchard WA 98367
360-876-7287

Anita was born and raised in Bremerton, Washington.  She began attending Evangel Temple Assembly of God church when she was 9 years old.  When she came to the church in 1950, there were two ladies working there who would have a profound positive influence on her life.  Bessie Guy and Dorothy Amundsen, were working in the Bremerton church as "City Missionaries".  They assisted the church in many ways. Dorothy was the music, and choir director.  Until Anita was 13 years old, Dorothy was a MAJOR mentor in her life.  In 1954 Miss Amundsen and Miss Guy left the Bremerton church and took on a ministry assignment in California.  By 1960, when Anita Benskin graduated from Bremerton High School, Miss Amundsen and Miss Guy were on staff at NU.  That fall, Anita enrolled as a freshman.  She attended from 1960-1962, and then took a break in her education until January of 1964.  In 1966 Anita graduated with a BS in Music and Christian Education.  Throughout her college years she was an integral part of the Concert Choir under the direction of her mentor, Dorothy Amundsen.  She played both Piano and Organ, at different times, for the choir, and was also a singer.  In 1965 she traveled with the Gospel Lites Trio (Carolyn DeGroot, Judi Larson, & Sharon Cook) as their pianist. (Click the link to hear Anita play a piano solo of "Nothing But The Blood of Jesus"  from the Gospel Lites 1965 album).  During her senior year she was the pianist for the Harbor-lites Trio (Sue Fusch, Lois Nyman & Linda Smith), and traveled with them the summer following her graduation.

In the fall of 1966 Anita accepted a job for NU Alum, Jed Minton at the Assembly of God Church in Canby, OR where she worked as a kindergarten teacher for one school year.  In June of 1967 she returned to live in Bremerton.  She commuted to Seattle where she worked in a secretarial job for 3 years, and then was married in 1970.  She was married for 7 years, and had two young daughters when she was divorced in 1977.

Finding herself a single mom, she looked for a way to support her children.  Her solution was to open a day care center in her home.  Anita operated her day care for over 30 years.  In April of 2005, she was hired as a Patient Care Companion at Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton.  This latest job has proven a wonderful door of ministry for Anita. She has been a member of Christian Life Center in Port Orchard since 1989, and is currently assisting on the keyboard at Living Waters Assembly of God in  Bremerton.  Since 2003 Anita has been an enthusiastic participant in the alumni of the 60's Reunions held in Sedro-Woolley each summer.

[Article posted June 23, 2008]