Alitya Florence was born at Harborview Hospital in Seattle, Washington, and passed peacefully on May 14, 2026, in her beloved town of Port Townsend.

Raised primarily by her mother, Montana Wright, Alitya inherited a deep appreciation for hard work, independence, curiosity, and play. Her early years included foster care with “Auntie and Unkie” and childhood adventures in White Center alongside her preteen co-conspirator, Thomas “Butch” Callahan. Together they explored creeks, caught turtles, hung upside down from tree limbs, and embraced the wild freedom of childhood.

She graduated from Queen Anne High School, Class of 1958, where she excelled in journalism, contributing to the school newspaper, earning recognition for her writing, including a scholarship.

Born Donna Mae Wright, a name she never truly felt belonged to her, she later chose the name Alitya after a vision that spoke deeply to her spirit.

Early in her career, Alitya worked for Household Finance, quickly earning a reputation as an exceptional “skip tracer,” able to locate even the most elusive borrowers within minutes.

Life brought both hardship and resilience. After escaping an abusive first marriage with her newborn daughter, Jeralee, she later entered a second marriage and blended family that eventually led her to Port Townsend and life on a farm. At age 30, she discovered that her biological father, Douglas Florence, long believed deceased, was alive. Reunited with him and his sister, she remained close to them throughout his life. She eventually chose Florence as her surname, embracing her Scottish ancestry and deeper sense of identity.

To support herself and her daughter, Alitya entered real estate, eventually purchasing her cherished home on Castle Hill, fondly referred to as “Little House". By delightful happenstance and the adoration of her treasured community, she was crowned “Miss Kiss” of 1979, her photo appearing in the Leader replete with tiara, sash, and roses.

Alitya was a poet, writer, seeker, and lifelong observer of the mysterious beauty of existence. Her haiku twice received recognition in USA Today, and her poetry and short stories appeared in Tidepools, Peninsula College’s annual literary anthology. She knew and crossed paths with remarkable people, including Frank Herbert, author of the Dune series and other notable novels, Dominick Dunne, author, producer, and investigative reporter, as well as the renowned Oscar-winning actress Patricia Neal — all of whom became part of the colorful tapestry of her life.

She spent countless mornings in Port Townsend coffee houses including Tyler Street Coffee House and Bread & Roses, gathering with friends to discuss books, film, politics, art, and life itself.

In 2009, she joined the love of her life, widower Thorkel, in his Uptown home, where together they created a life rich with deep companionship, spirited conversation, laughter, tenderness, and enduring affection until dementia and illness gradually eroded both her mobility and her lifelong love of adventure, in the insidious ways that such illnesses can diminish a life.

Alitya also believed deeply in intuition and spiritual connection. She often spoke of extraordinary experiences throughout her life, including uncanny moments of insight, clairvoyant readings she offered to many across Martha’s Vineyard, San Francisco, Hollywood, and Port Townsend, and several encounters she believed involved UFOs — experiences she carried with wonder rather than fear.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Douglas Florence and Montana Wright, and by her half-brother, Jess Bunich.

She leaves behind her loving daughter, Jeralee Chapman (Craig); grandson Sam Chapman (Daniela) and their cherished daughter (Noa) who already seems to carry forward her great-grandmother’s adventurous spirit and contagious light; half-brother Joseph Bunich; Judy (John) Owens; numerous cousins; and extended family.

Above all, Alitya will be remembered for her fierce spirit, poetic soul, intelligence, humor, mysticism, resilience, and the unique light she brought into the lives of those who knew and loved her, including the many writers, poets, actors, musicians, and the creatives and intellectuals of Port Townsend and beyond.

Her family would like to express their deepest gratitude and heartfelt appreciation to Peninsula Homecare Cooperative for their loving care and support, together with the caring and deeply compassionate team at Jefferson Healthcare Acute Care Unit. In the end, her light shone brightly as she crossed the threshold into her next adventure, music accompanying her light-filled steps.

A celebration of life will be held on a warm and magical day this summer.