{Grandpa Vern}

On August 30, 2012, Sean's great-grandpa Vern passed away. He lived to be 92 years old! He was such a character and I am glad that I married into such a fabulous family. In May we got to spend some great quality time with him which I am so grateful for. How awesome is it that Evette got to meet her Great-Great-Grandpa! Pretty fabulous. Evette loved him. How could you not?

We love Grandpa Vern.

XOXO

Here's the obituary that Grandma Diana wrote:

 

Vern Roy Nelson Vern, 92, passed away on August 30, 2012, in Olympia. He was born on the family farm near Maddock, North Dakota, during one of the area's worst snowstorms on October 26, 1919, to Oscar Elias (Gjellestad) Nelson and Louisa Gurine (Bendiksdatter Furebotten, or Sorenson) Nelson. He had 10 brothers and sisters. In high school Vern lived in town because of the harsh winters. He played center on the basketball team and also played violin and trumpet. Benson County Agricultural Training School included students from North Dakota and Montana. Besides academics he was taught farming skills from wiring electricity to cattle genetics. After graduating from high school he worked on the family farm and enjoyed going to dances, sometimes not getting home until 4 a.m. It was at one of these dances that he met his sweetheart, Virginia Dean Van Heesch. They were married on June 27, 1943, in Maddock, North Dakota. They lived and worked on the Nelson farm until 1946, and then moved to Washington. Vern thought about what he wanted to do professionally after the dust storms hit his family's farm. He saw what the Soil Conservation Service from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture had done to help stop some of the dust storms, including strip cropping, developing springs on the various farms, and planting shelter belts. He always thought at that time that it would be nice to have a job in the conservation field. He started working for the Soil Conservation Service in Olympia in February, 1949. After several years he realized that to advance he needed a college education. So at the age of 32 he started college at W.S.U., a well known agronomy college at the time. At 36 he was the first in his family to get a college degree, Bachelor of Science Degree in Agronomy. His first position was in Olympia. Then he served as a District Conservationist in Shelton, Pomeroy, and Renton. In 1966 he returned to Olympia to serve as the Area Conservationist serving 10 counties in southwestern Washington consisting of 8 million acres. When Mt. St. Helens erupted in 1980 he was among the first to survey the damage from the air. Vern was a charter member of the Hovedstad Lodge No. 94, Sons of Norway, in Olympia. He's been a member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church for 63 years. Vern was always a fun and caring friend to many people through his service to his church, profession, and his neighbors. His family will miss him deeply, but look forward to when they can join him and Virginia. Vern is survived by his daughter, Diana (Don McQuay), of Seattle; brother, Quintin and Ruth Nelson, of Oregon; brother, Irvin and Dorothy Nelson, brother-in-law, Vernon Ellingson, sister, Dorothy and Duane Nelson, and sister-in-law, Lillian Hegland, all of North Dakota; three grandsons, Randy and Kristen McQuay of Texas; Michael and Candy McQuay of Port Angeles, and Paul and Marti McQuay of Oregon; 11 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-granddaughters. A Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, September 5, at 11:00 a.m. at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. Interment will be at Mills & Mills Memorial Park. Please make donations to a charity of your choice .