Anna Marie was born in Port Angeles, May 11, 1921. She was 95 years old when she died at home with family, Jan. 4. Her parents were AI and Agnes Nelson of Bellevue. She had deep family roots in the Pacific Northwest.
Anna Marie was raised mostly in old Bellevue where her mother’s Swedish family had settled before WWI. Her grandparents, aunts and uncles resided just south of old Main Street.
Her grandfather built the Baptist church and the Hanson Bros. garage on old Main Street. Her extremely tall 6-foot-8-inch uncle George was the nominal “mayor” of the Main Street community, primary qualification, a strong bass voice in the Barbershop-Quartets of the day.
Her uncle Victor E. Hanson was killed in WWI France, one of the three Bellevue boys remembered on the flag-base by the three elms in downtown Bellevue park.
Her father’s Danish family had settled in early 1880s Seattle. Grandfather Nielson built lighthouses along the Washington and Oregon coasts, including Mukilteo Lighthouse near Everett. Great-uncle Jessen had a bakery on Yesler, and helped fight the Great Seattle fire of 1889.
Father AI Nelson was a busy blacksmith/fabricator during the good and hard times following in WWI.
Anna Marie graduated from Bellevue High School in 1939, earning a scholarship to the University of Washington — not a common thing for women in those days — but she chose to marry instead.
WWII brought Anna Marie and husband John Cooley back home to Bellevue to help her aging parents run Nelson Petroleum, the family business. Anna Marie’s first two children were born during this time, John L. (1942-2008) and Anne Elaine (1945).
By 1950, Anna Marie had survived her father’s sudden death, the sale of the family business, divorce, and a grave physical illness. She married James Haven and moved to Auburn, where the family soon consisted of four children Robert G., Steve N., James A. Jr. and Julee R. Haven.
The new adventure for Anna Marie and all during the 60s was the five years spent in Adak, Alaska. The kids loved the wild, natural world. The adults played pinochle and “rock-hounded” the active volcanic island.
The 1966 new job and move to Whidbey Island was a blessing for Anna Marie. Her mother in Bellevue needed assistance now. It was also a hard time. Two of her sons, Robert and Steve, were drafted into the Vietnam conflict in 1968/69. Both were injured, but both came home alive.
James and Anna Marie worked civil service at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Residual war injuries forced Jim into retirement. The years of “snowbirding” to the sunny southwest were special, then Jim died in 1992.
She returned to her beloved yard and gardening in Oak Harbor, caring for her huge rhododendrons and all creatures great and small living in her yard.
Anna Marie supported numerous charities and causes. She was active with the Whidbey Presbyterian church, she was an excellent pinochle player with the senior center and a well loved contributor to the creative writing class — her life stories of early Bellevue and Seattle always brought pleas for more.
She was a lifelong reader, learner and do-it-yourselfer. She was a lifelong-Bible reader, truly living First Corinthians Chapter 13. Anna Marie had that special quality of enduring the worst, yet remaining the sweetest, gentle woman. She was kind and loving to the end.
She will be remembered by her five remaining children Anne E. Cooley of Bellingham, Steven N. Haven of Everett, Robert G. Haven of Puyallup, James A. Jr. of Oak Harbor and Julee R. Haven of Oak Harbor; seven grandchildren Stacy, Ericka, Denise, Phil, Susette, Jeff and Lyla; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Her only sibling Vivian L. Davidson of Fresno died in 1984, survived by daughter Barbara Holick of Troy, Idaho.
There will be coffee and memories served at 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22 at her home on Beeksma Drive for friends, family and neighbors.
There will be a graveside service at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27 at Lakeview Cemetery, 1554 15th Ave. E., Seattle.
Haven
