Obituary of Nellie Louise Lahmann

Nellie (Futter) Lahmann peacefully passed away on January 19, 2023, at home in Olympia, Washington.  She was five weeks shy of her 100^th birthday.

 

The daughter of Arthur and Katherine (Constant) Futter, Nellie was born on February 25, 1923, at home on a wheat ranch in Sherman County, Oregon, where she joined her two older brothers, James and Vernon.  The Futter children all started their education at the nearby Starvation Point School.  When she started school, Nellie sat between Jim and Vern atop “Ol’ Buck,” the family steed, to get to and from the one-room school.

 

Her family later moved to Washington and ultimately settled on a small farm between Centralia and Rochester.  She graduated from Rochester High School and on June 14, 1942, married her high school sweetheart, Frank Lahmann.  The young couple moved to Seattle, where both Nellie and Frank worked for Boeing in support of the WWII war effort.  From Seattle, they relocated back to Oregon to work the wheat ranch.  While there, son Bob was born in The Dalles.

 

To be closer to family, Frank and Nellie purchased and moved to a farm on the Chehalis River in Lewis County, Washington.  While there, sons Tom and Bill joined the family.  Both were born in Centralia.  In 1955, Frank’s work took the family to Carson, Washington, in the Columbia River gorge. 

 

Nellie worked as the head teller at the Columbia Gorge Bank in Stevenson.  She and Frank were avid supporters of the local schools and followed their sons’ many activities.  After more than 60 years of marriage, Frank passed away in 2008.  Nellie remained at the family home in Carson until relocating to Olympia in 2013.

 

Nellie loved to tend her flower gardens, one of which was crowded with rose bushes given to her by her “boys” each Mother’s Day. She insisted on a weedless vegetable garden and the weeding was a family affair.  She was an eager participant in those tasks, and then canned the bounties thereof.  She enjoyed art, leaving behind several beautiful sketchings and paintings.  She was a skilled blackberry and huckleberry picker and, for many years, held the family record for catching the biggest salmon.

 

Nellie was preceded in death by her loving husband, Frank; her son, Bob; her parents, Arthur and Katherine Futter; her brother, James Futter, and sister-in-law, Dorothy;  her brother, Vernon Futter, and sister-in-law, Bethene Futter Schlicker. 

 

She is survived by her son, Tom, and his wife, Kathy of Toledo; son, Bill, and his wife, Mickey of Olympia; daughter-in-law, Lani Lahmann of Washougal; grandchildren, Jenna (Tarleton) Gillespie of Medford, Massachusetts; Ryan (Elizabeth) Lahmann of Edmond, Oklahoma; Benjamin Lahmann of Seattle; Andrew Lahmann of Bellingham, Washington; Michelle (Mathew) Conrow of Winlock, Washington; Grant (Kelsey) Lahmann of Seattle; Jill Lahmann of Lihue, Kauai; seven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

 

Nellie will be remembered for her kindness, faith, gentle and giving nature, open arms, and unwavering love for her family and those dear to her.  And, for never allowing anyone to leave her home hungry.

 

A celebration of Nellie’s life will be held at a later date. Memorial donations may be made in her memory to:  Assured Hospice, 2102 Carriage Street SW, Suite H, Olympia, WA 98502.

 

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