Laurel Grace Nelson

Laurel was born in Wishek, North Dakota On August 12, 1935, to John and Ramona Herr. The family moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota where John Sheridan Herr was born in 1945; then on to Salem, Oregon where Laurel attended and graduated from Salem High School in 1953. There in high school she also met and dated Marlin Nelson. Marlin went on to attend Oregon State in food technology and Laurel Lewis and Clark College and Willamette University in bookkeeping. The couple married when Laurel completed one year and Marlin three years into their study program September 17, 1955. Debbie was born to the couple in December 1956 and Marlin graduated in June 1957. Marlin’s two-year commitment to Army ROTC took the family to Fort Sill, OK and then to DeRidder, LA where Danette was born May 1958. They then moved back to Salem, OR and then to Walla Walla, WA where Marlin began work for Birds Eye Corporation. Transfers took them to Watsonville, CA; to Albion, NY where Janine was born July 1960; to Winterhaven, FL; back to Albion; to Woodburn where Curt was born in May 1965; to Fulton, NY; to Avon, NY; to West Henrietta, NY; to Hillsboro, OR, to Oregon City. During the Oregon City years, Marlin worked at the Woodburn plant where he’d been before as supervisor (1961), but now as plant manager. During those years raising the family Laurel devoted her time to taking care of the home and family, participating in community organizations (PEO, PTA, Delta Gamma sorority), choirs, bowling teams, Bible Studies, Church activities, as well as leading a Blue Bird group (part of the Camp Fire Girls program), Girl Scouts, youth and adult choirs, and carting children to and from their activities and sporting events and cheering them on. She also enjoyed dancing, entertaining guests from church and Marlin’s co-workers, and playing bridge. Laurel was a great cook and in addition to meal preparation, she was well known for her desserts and provided all the fixings for daughters Debbie and Danette’s wedding receptions. Laurel loved music, playing piano for church, choirs, social events, and memory care residents. She also accompanied high school vocal and band soloists and played for local community productions (West Side Story) and events. Laurel loved reading, singing, gardening, playing games, sewing, knitting, doing crafts of all kinds (to give away, sell, and keep), walking, visiting with friends, playing tennis, Bible studying, and just being with family. Marlin received early retirement in 1987, when Birds Eye reorganized and he took a job as Vice President of production at Basic American Foods in Blackfoot, ID where Marlin and Laurel moved shortly after the death of Laurel’s father in January 1987. It was difficult for them to move away from all four adult children and their families, and especially having to leave her newly widowed Mother. But once again, Laurel made a new home, got involved in a new church, and made new friends. Of course, there were many holiday trips back to Oregon and to Sparks, NV where daughter Danette and her family now lived. Those reunions were the highlights of both Marlin and Laurel’s years when in Blackfoot.

After retiring from Basic American foods, the couple returned to make their home in Portland. Soon it was Laurel’s turn to choose where they’d continue their retirement years, and so a home on the cliff at Gleneden Beach fulfilled her long held dream. There Marlin and Laurel got involved in their new church community at The Presbyterian “Chapel By The Sea.” Laurel once again joined the choir and the couple got involved in a small group. Laurel was caregiver for Marlin who had Parkinson’s Disease. Eventually, his care became too much for her to handle alone, so the family assisted in helping them to downsize and move to Spring Ridge Retirement Living at Charbonneau. Very soon thereafter it became clear that Marlin would need 24/7 care, so he moved to Countryside Living in Canby. In 2011, Laurel moved into a home in Hillsboro a couple blocks from where oldest daughter Debbie lived. This meant visiting Marlin required a much longer drive, so the family moved Marlin into a facility in Hillsboro where later in 2011 he passed away. Laurel had once again made new friends with neighbours, became involved with the Methodist church, Bible Studies, PEO, bridge groups, and reacquainted with friends who the couple had known while living in Hillsboro in the 1970’s. When Laurel was 80, she felt it best to quit driving, which made it difficult to shop and get to activities. So, Laurel moved to Creekside Independent living in Beaverton in 2016. There she once again, made new friends, continued in crafting, played the piano for the facility church service, and loved gardening and bird watching on her balcony. The isolation resulting from Covid-19 in 2020 took a toll on many seniors’ cognitive health as was the case with Laurel. And in April 2021, the family helped move Laurel into assisted living at Cherry Park Plaza in Troutdale. Janine had been taking care of finances for Laurel progressively over the years since 2007. She had also checked on Laurel at Creekside and Cherry Park, providing help with shopping, arranging the apartment, and “fixing things.” Living in Troutdale made it easier for Danette, who lives in The Dalles, to help Janine by visiting more and taking Laurel to doctor, eye, and dental appointments. Laurel’s cognitive disabilities continued to progress and September 21, 2023, once again, family stepped in to move her to the memory care section at Cherry Park Plaza. Then on December 20th, Laurel slipped away into the arms of our Lord in Heaven.

Laurel was preceded in death by her parents John (1987) and Ramona (2010) Herr, husband Marlin (2011), and sister-in-law Patricia Herr (2022), who was like a sister to Laurel. She is survived by her brother John Herr (Denise); daughters Debbie Spenst (John), Danette Kirkman (Fred), Janine Nelson (Deanna); son Curtis Nelson (Trish); grandchildren Jason, Zeke, Tristan, Lorrie (Matt), Stephanie (Anthony), Scott, Cindy (Kyle), Elizabeth (Ryan), Steven, Matt, Derek; and great-grandchildren Talen, Noah, Shelby, Tyler, Breauna, Ember and Emma.