Obituary of Karin H. Nelson

Karin H. Nelson Our Mother, Karin H. Nelson, 86, passed away on January 29, 2008, in Olympia, Washington. Mom was born April 3, 1921 to Ossi and Florence Heikel and raised in Hoquiam, WA. She was one of four Heikel kids. Rainier and Walter were mom’s older twin brothers; Marigold, her kid sister. The Heikel kids spent their early summers at Tokeland (south of today’s Westport). Tokeland and its magical memories generated mom’s lifelong love of the ocean. Mom was always very, very proud of her Finnish heritage: she flew the Finnish flag whenever possible, she loved blue and white. She also loved the University of Washington, which she attended in the late 1930s and early 1940s. It was during the University of Washington years that Mom met Dad, Carroll “C.B.” Nelson. They married January 16, 1944. From the late 1940s through the early 1970s Mom and Dad established their little family, beginning with Janice, then Christine, and finally, Forrest. Residing in Seattle’s Laurelhurst neighborhood, Mom kept an orderly and pristine house. Both she and Dad especially enjoyed entertaining members of “the Bridge Club,” hosting family and friends at elegant Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and later, throwing homemade pizza feeds as we kids became teenagers. Beginning in the late 1950s we all also spent time at Guemes Island in the San Juans. Mom kept the cabin spotless, Dad tended the garden. Everyone loved the beach, our neighbors, and anything and everything that happened to float in with the tide. Dad’s rocks became Mom’s treasures. Agates, clamshells and driftwood cluttered tabletops and windowsills -- all kept dust free thanks to Mom’s cleaning efforts! Of course, Mom did not spend all of her time working around the house. Mom and Dad traveled to Alaska, Hawaii, Finland, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, Costa Rica. She also spent parts of a few winters in Palm Springs, and one fall, on the East Coast to take in the fall colors. Every summer on the last Sunday in July, mom always made a point to clear her calendar to travel to Hood Canal for the annual “Family Picnic” and visits with her favorite cousins Betty, Phyllis, Janet, Jean and Charlita. Once the kids were out of the Laurelhurst house, Mom and Dad down-sized to Noble Firs, a condo in north Seattle. There, new neighbors and friendships were found. Mom kept busy with the Noble Firs Garden Committee and as a member of the PEO Sisterhood. Her love of music was fulfilled as a season Seattle Pops Concert ticket holder. Mom was preceded in death by C.B. She is survived by her three children - Jan Bowen of Ellensburg, Chris (Joe) Townley of Olympia, and Forrest (Martha) Nelson of Bothell. She also leaves four grandchildren - Tyler and Parker Townley, Elisabeth and Emily Nelson; a sister, Marigold Bashore of Tiburon, CA; and her very dear friend Bob Hart. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Guemes Island Community Center, PO Box 1552, Anacortes, Washington, 98221. We love you, Mom! You will always be a part of us! Joe, Chris, Ty and Parker Townley