Former teacher and longtime Richland city councilwoman dies

A woman who helped shape the course of Richland during 14 years on the city council died Thursday in West Richland.

Rita Mazur was 84.

Mazur was a real estate agent and board member of Catholic Family and Child Services when she ran for the council in 1995 and won. She previously had retired from teaching.

She would serve until losing an election to current Councilman Phil Lemley in 2009.

Mazur moved to Richland a year before she graduated from Richland High, but more recently had been living in West Richland. She was the mother of five.

She originally ran for the council initially because of a water problem that left a gaping sinkhole in a resident’s yard.

She set a goal of getting money to fix the water problem, and because of her efforts was asked to sign the last pipe laid in a citywide water system upgrade in 2007.

She voted for the Duportail Bridge over the Yakima River in 2007, but later said it was more a vote of solidarity with the other council members than a hearty endorsement.

She was a booster of small businesses and an advocate for the Uptown shopping area. She also was an advocate of making Richland a place where children could safely walk to school.

In 2001 she was among council members who studied a city staff recommendation to change how the city purchased electricity. She and three other council members decided the proposal was too risky, saving the city $202 million in the years since.

Einan’s at Sunset in Richland is in charge of arrangements.