Elaine Moonyean Nelson died December 12, 2012 at Vashon Community Care Center on Vashon Island, Washington. Elaine was born in Huntington, Indiana on April 1, 1933 to Arthur Leroy (Roy) Cheesman and Opal Call.

As a young woman, Elaine discovered a love of music. This love led her to study piano, guitar and the bass. She was accomplished on the Hawaiian guitar. Elaine and her fellow band members, The Honolulu Harmonizers, played on a local radio station WOWO out of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

As a music teacher, she met and fell in love with Darl Dean Nelson. They married on August 15, 1954 and had four daughters and one son. They traveled extensively as Dean was an army physician. The family lived in Germany and Fort Lewis, WA and later on Okinawa. In 1969, the Nelson family moved to Bellingham, Washington. Elaine and Dean were married for twenty-seven years.

Elaine loved children and loved cuddling babies. She was a Girl Scout Leader and was active in the PTA. She was a crackerjack Mahjong and Bridge Player. She was a gourmet cook and loved to host dinner parties. Reading was one of her passions, a trait that she passed to her children. A true believer in the power of education, Elaine went back to college when she was forty.

Above all, Elaine cherished her family, her children, grandchildren, and friends. They were the most important part of her life. She was an advocate for women’s rights and social issues; beliefs she instilled in her children. When thinking of Elaine, people remember her wry and always sharp sense of humor, her smile and sweetness, and her beautiful eyes.

Elaine is survived by her siblings Lorraine Cheesman Black of Mesa, AZ. and Robert Cheesman of Bellingham, WA. Daughters Lorelei Carlander (Peter), Christine Marsh (Tim) of Vashon, WA. Karen Rasmussen (Richard) of Ocean Shores, WA. Kathryn Weiss (David) of Bellingham, WA. Her son, Karl

Nelson, preceded her death in 2006. She has twelve grandchildren, Nicholas and Matthew Carlander, Brandon and William Marsh, Christopher, Nathan, and Lucas Rasmussen, Elisa and Tristan Weiss, Keirsten, Foster, and Eric

Nelson. She has one great-grandchild, Quinn Rasmussen.

Elaine’s family thanks the staff of Vashon Community Care and Hospice for their loving care of Elaine. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation and/or Vashon Community Care. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm., Saturday, January 26th, 2013, at Burton Community Church on Vashon Island. Reception to follow at Lewis Hall. Please visit islandfuneral.com to sign the guest book.

Paid Obituary.