Marilyn Nelson
Marilyn Nelson passed away at home peacefully Sunday May 24th after a long battle with Ovarian Cancer, which had gone into remission and then suddenly returned, she was 77. It was her wish to remain at home instead of going to a ‘Hospice’ facility and her Children honored that wish and all took care of her up until the end.
She was born Dec 17th 1931 in New York City, the only child of Harold and Rose Lock. Marilyn was an extremely bright person. Her family would take annual summer vacations to Lake George in Upstate N.Y. where even as a toddler she would swim in an inner tube out to the middle of the lake. Her Father Harold was an accountant for ‘Consolidated Edison’ power co. of N.Y. and her mother Rose, was a housewife, who later after Marilyn had grown, took jobs at many exclusive retail stores in New York.
Marilyn attended Edgewood College in Upstate N.Y in the late 1940’s and early 50’s. She later worked for “Life Magazine” in the mid 1950’s at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan before retiring to have a family. In 1953 she met Roland Nelson at a Republican party gathering and they were Married four years later in 1957 and had three sons, Bradford, Gregory and Kenneth Nelson. In late 1963 the family moved to Clyde Hill in Bellevue, Wa. and was followed out West in 1964 by her parents Harold and Rose who were now retired and missed their Grandchildren and only daughter. Marilyn loved being a Mother and was alway’s active in her childrens school activities at the Parochial School they attended “Sacred Heart”, including Cub Scouts and other activities. In 1966 she was in charge of the ‘United Way’ campaign for all of King County, along with the help of her mother Rose.
Marilyn was always interested in learning and went back to school first in the early 1970’s to study nursing, then again in the early 1980’s to study “Legal Assisting” receiving an Associates Degree in this from ‘Edmonds Community College’ in 1984. In her later years, she was active in many Church activities at her Parish “Sacred Heart” including working with ‘Habitat for Humanity’ building affordable housing in Redmond, Wa. (she helped greatly organizing the lunchtime food preparation and delivery for all of the Volunteers and construction workers building the homes), as well as working with the ‘interfaith’ council and numerous Church Ministries. In 1987 her middle son Greg married Ann Marie Hill of Seattle and in 1993 her only Grandchild Daniel was born. She loved being a Grandma and alway’s enjoyed his accomplishments. She loved gardening, going for walks, and spending time with her family, as well as watching the news, and alway’s trying to learn something new from various articles she would research. She is survived by her former husband Roland of Seattle, her son’s Bradford and Kenneth of Bellevue and Gregory of Seattle. She was bright and alert up until the end and her cheerful spirit will be missed by all who knew her.
A Funeral Service for her will be held Friday June 12th at Sacred Heart Parish in Bellevue, Wa.