Carol Pauline Nelson

KENNEWICK, Wash. — Carol Pauline Nelson, age 92, died Dec. 10, 2017 at Fieldstone Memory Care in Kennewick, Wash. She was born in Detroit, Mich. on Feb. 19, 1925, and the family moved to Gladstone, Mich. in 1930, and she graduated from high school there in 1943. She married Merwin Nelson in 1947, who preceded her in death in 2014, after 66 years of marriage. She worked in a Detroit war plant in 1943 as “Rosie the Riveter”. Over the years she also worked as a stenographer and a bank clerk, and retired as an executive secretary from a Minnesota manufacturing company. She enjoyed spending time with family, playing the piano, and golfing. She was active in the Lutheran church for many years as an organist and choir director, and later was active in quilting and the Naomi Circle at First Lutheran Church of Bothell, Wash.

She is survived by her brother, Ronald (Joan) Anderson, of Gladstone, Mich.; her children, Jeffrey (Kyoko) Nelson, of Kirkland, Wash, Gary (Donna) Nelson, of Bremerton, Wash., Julie (Gary) Olson of Kennewick, Wash.; her grandchildren, Jonathan Olson of Kennewick, Wash., Stephanie (Matthew) Pearson of Kennewick, Wash., Jay (Sarah) Nelson, of Lynnwood, Wash., Hana Nelson of Issaquah, Wash., Christopher Nelson of Tacoma, Wash.; her great-grandson, Luke Pearson, son of Stephanie and Matthew.

She was preceded in death by her grandson, Derek Nelson, son of Gary and Donna. Internment will take place on Dec. 16, 2017 at Floral Hills Cemetery in Lynnwood, Wash., in the presence of family. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association Washington State, 19031 33rd Avenue W, Suite 301, Lynnwood, WA 98036 or Chaplaincy Healthcare, 1480 Fowler Street, Richland, WA, 99352, or online at http://chaplaincyhealthcare.org.