Anita Scholz, 94, Nortonville, Kansas formerly of Atchison, Kansas died Friday, April 20, 2018 at St. Francis Hospital, Topeka, Kansas.

Mass of Christian burial will be Thursday, April 26, 2018 at 10:30 A.M. at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church with Rev. Jeremy Heppler, OSB as celebrant.  Interment will follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.  Final care has been entrusted to Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home.  Memorial contributions are suggested to Atchison Human Society for the care of cats and kittens and may be left in care of the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home.  Online condolences may be left at www.arensbergpruett.com.

Anita was born November 12, 1923 in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, only child to Cedalia Tomada and Pietro Vuano.

She received her education in Italy and attended trades school where she acquired the skills to become a seamstress. She later supported herself as a governess in the South of France.

Anita attended trade school where she acquired the skills to become a seamstress. She excelled in this capacity, often making evening gowns for many of the officers’ wives visiting Fort Leavenworth. Word of mouth about her ability spread and she soon had regular customers come to her from Kansas City for custom tailor-made designs. She never charged anywhere close to the value of her work.

Anita had a green thumb and spent endless hours trying to grow fruits and vegetables that would have thrived in Italy but didn’t do so well in the Kansas climate. Even so, she never gave up and provided healthy homemade meals for her family.

Anita loved flowers, plants, nature, and animals - cats in particular. She was never happier than when she had a lap full of playful and purring kittens.

Anita was fluent in Italian, French and English languages, and also tried her hand at German and Russian.

While serving as a governess on the French Riviera she met and married the love of her life, Dr. Donald Scholz. They married in 1958 in Italy and came to Atchison, Kansas in 1965/66.  Dr. Scholz preceded her in death on December 20, 2016.

Anita was a member of St. Benedict Parish in Atchison, Kansas.

She is survived by a daughter, Alba Scholz, Beaverton, OR.