Elsie Lucile “Luc” Nelson – 11/02/1915 – 03/26/2017

Lucile died peacefully at her home in the arms of her daughter, Shirlee, on Sunday afternoon, March 26.

She was born in Vona, Colo., to Millard Harrison and Olive Baker Harrison. She was the second of five children. Her father died during the flu epidemic in 1918, and though she was only 3, she had fond memories of her father, especially those of riding on his shoulders.

Lucile graduated from Vona High School with the class of 1932. True to her adventurous nature, not long after high school, she rode on the back of a friend’s motorcycle from Colorado to California and back to Colorado.

She married Clarence Otto Bourne on March 16, 1935, in Durango, Colo. The couple made their home in Victor, Colo. where Otto worked for the Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mining Company. They had two daughters, Sharon Annette, born on March 21, 1937 and Shirlee Lucile, born on February 14, 1940.

The family moved to Farmington, New Mexico, in 1943, and lived there until 1951 when they moved to Ashland, Ore. Divorced in 1953, Lucile took a job working for the Dept. of Forestry as a Lookout on both White Point Lookout & Soda Mountain, in S. Ore., and Duzel Rock Lookout, in N. Calif. She loved the outdoors and thoroughly enjoyed being one with nature while working for the Forest Service. She made friends with the wild animals, and even had a pair of Civet Cats come up the stairs to the tower to eat cantaloupe seeds from her hand.

Lucile went to Kodiak, Alaska in 1972 at the invitation of a friend, and fell in love with the Island. She also fell in love with Oscar Jack Nelson, and they were married on March 9, 1975. She loved hiking, boating, fishing and gardening, and lived on Kodiak Island until the death of her husband in 1996. She then moved to Oak Harbor to live with her daughter, Shirlee, and to be near family.

She was an accomplished artist and painted in oils and watercolors and sketched with pastels and pencils. She also took beautiful photographs, many of which she recaptured in her paintings. Her creativity knew no bounds and besides painting and photography, she did pottery, raku, batik and flower arranging. A drawer full of Blue, Red, Yellow and White State Fair ribbons highlight her expertise in Photography, Crocheting, Pottery, Flower Arrangement, Horticulture, Jam making, and Smoked Salmon. She received a Purple Best of Show ribbon for an oil painting at the Western Colorado College Art Show in 1972.

Lucile loved memorizing poetry and had a repertoire of at least 50 poems, two of which she recited at her 100th birthday banquet, much to the delight and amazement of her guests.

A life-long free-spirit and always enthusiastic for an adventure, Lucile traveled to New Zealand with the Friendship Force and celebrated her 86th birthday there. A long-time wish for a ride on a Harley-Davidson was granted on her 89th birthday when she went for an hour & a half motorcycle ride with the then Marysville Chief of Police. She thrilled over a Hot Air Balloon Ride above the Snohomish Valley when she was 90. She made snow-angels when she was 96, went zip-lining for her 97th birthday. She had an Art Show at the Best Western for her 98th birthday and had planned to go skydiving for her 99th. She had her doctor’s release and was ready to go, but bad weather cancelled the trip and kept her earthbound. Her love of life, her incredible sense of humor, her upbeat and delightful nature made her easy to love and she was adored by many.

Lucile is survived by her sister, Mary Bland, of Montrose, Colo., daughters Sharon Logston of Cathlamet, Wash. and Shirlee Lamoureux, of Oak Harbor, Wash. Granddaughters, Shannon (and Richard) Anderson, Oak Harbor, Wash., Dianne Walters, Longview, Wash., Kelly Logston, Longview, Wash. grandsons Robb (and Janis) Lamoureux, Marysville, Wash., Paul (and Kim) Lamoureux, Oak Harbor, Wash., David Logston, Gladstone, Ore., 20 great-grandchildren, 25 great-great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Millard and Olive, and step-father, Marion Lent, brother, Bert Harrison, sisters Marietta Moore and Millie Stafford; her husband, OJ Nelson, son-in-law, Jack Logston, grandsons Michael Ward and William “Bill” Ward and Jon Logston.

A Celebration of her life will be held on April 22, 1 PM at Living Word Church in Oak Harbor. Honoring her love of color, the family is asking that you pick your favorite crayon color and dress in that color for the celebration. In lieu of flowers, you may make a contribution in her name to one of her favorite charities: Compassion First, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Boys Town Nebraska, or St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

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