Anita Colleen Rikli (Callison), lovingly known as Mimi, passed peacefully on August 8th, wrapped in the quiet devotion of the family she spent a lifetime loving and protecting.

Born on January 14th, 1944, in Wichita, Kansas, Anita was the daughter of Earl Callison and Ona Griffith, and spent her life rooted in the heartland. She was known for her creative spirit, quick wit, and her steadfast love - for people, animals, and the wild, open places that reminded her of home.

Mimi was an accomplished artist whose landscapes captured the soul of the Kansas prairie and the rugged beauty of Colorado's mountains. She had a tender reverence for nature: hummingbirds at the feeder, butterflies in the garden, the gentle rustle of cats weaving between her legs. Her porch was a sanctuary, her paintbrush an extension of her soul.

She adored her colony of cats, rooted for the anti-heroes on Yellowstone, and found joy in the smallest details of daily life. She was never loud, but her love was felt in every quiet gesture, every shared meal, every porch chat.

Mimi shared her life with many beloved dogs over the years, each one fiercely loved. She now joins them - along with her soul dog, Piper - and her late husband, Gary Leon Rikli, lovingly known as Poppy. Her final dog, Luna, will live out her life in ultimate comfort with a dear family friend, just as Mimi planned.

Mimi's greatest pride was in the women who followed her - strong, fierce, and deeply loyal. She is survived by her sons, Kevin Rikli and Kirk Rikli; her granddaughters, Jeanette Clement (Daniel Clement) and Emili Rikli; her great-granddaughter, Taylen Newton; and the many others whose lives she helped shape with her kindness and unshakable grit.

A public graveside service will be held at Grace Hill Cemetery in Perry, Oklahoma, on Saturday, August 23rd at 10:00 a.m. All who knew and loved Mimi are welcome to attend and help lay her to rest with the care and reverence she deserves.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Mimi's honor to the Kansas Humane Society, continuing her legacy of compassion for animals and the beauty she saw in all living things.

Her life was quiet, beautiful, and brave. And now, when the hummingbirds return in spring or the light hits the mountains just right, we will remember her - not just in memory, but in the way she taught us to see the world.

Arrangements are by Affordable Cremations Plus, Wichita, Ks.