Duane Gay Nelson

August 12, 1930 - April 29, 2022

Obituary

Duane Gay Nelson

August 12, 1930 – April 29, 2022

Duane lived a happy 91 years. We are so sad to lose him but happy knowing he had a strong faith that he would be reunited with his beloved Clara and family again in heaven. Duane died within hours after surgery to repair a broken femur sustained from falling in his room. His sons Kyle and Kim were by his side, and they shared happy family memories and were looking at family photos until the moment he died. We will scatter his ashes together with Clara’s up at Sunrise in Mount Rainier National Park this summer. Interestingly, Duane was born and died at Tacoma General Hospital.

Duane grew up in the Lakewood area of Washington with mother Sarah, father Ivan, and brother Gerald. He had fond memories of camping with his family every summer at Mount Rainier, which led him to pursue working for the park concessionaire, Rainier National Park Company, as a lobby porter and desk clerk at the old Paradise Lodge and the Paradise Inn each summer throughout college (1949-52). Shortly after graduating from Western Washington College of Education in 1952, Duane was drafted into the army during the Korean War. He was sent to Albuquerque, NM and served as a personnel clerk. He was discharged from the army in 1954 to begin what would end up being a 38-year career as an elementary school teacher in WA & CA. Starting in 1959, he further served as a teacher every summer, sharing his passion for Mount Rainier National Park as a seasonal Park Ranger Naturalist for 30 summers. It was at Mount Rainier that he met the love of his life, Clara Young, who was working as the secretary to the Chief Park Naturalist. They married in 1962 and raised 2 sons, Kim and Kyle, up on the mountain. Although they lived the better part of each year in Des Moines, WA while Duane taught school, the family considered their “real home” to be up at Sunrise. They spent every summer hiking, backpacking, and playing on the mountain whenever Duane wasn’t giving interpretive programs or evening campfire talks. Duane retired from the Park Service in 1989 and from teaching in 1992. In retirement, Duane and Clara took several trips to New Zealand, Australia and many National Parks.

Friends have reached out to share their wonderful memories of Duane. Many of you have said how much you looked forward to getting his hand-written “Crow’s Nest News” every month, where Duane shared his musings, memories, and Geographer quiz. Duane loved maps and geography trivia.

Son Kim remembers, “Dad had this amazing ability to speak in front of large groups of people, particularly in his job as a naturalist at Mount Rainier. I was always proud of Dad up there giving his talks about the mountain and telling its history stories. My fond memories were the nights he gave his campfire programs seeing the audience in surprise as the campfire magically lit by itself. Singing campfire songs, particularly “The Bear in Tennis Shoes” and Dad’s favorite, “The Happy Wanderer”. Best of all was when Mom and Dad did the Fay Fuller (the first woman to summit Mount Rainier) skit in front of an audience.”

Son Kyle remembers “There are so many great memories. After new hikes at Mount Rainier, dad would immediately go to the park map hanging on the wall in our apartment and draw a red line showing where he and my mom had hiked together. Dad never wanted to go bowling or something similar, being self-conscious thinking people were looking at him, but he would give these most amazing campfire programs talking in front of hundreds of people and was never concerned that all eyes were glued on him. We enjoyed many game nights with friends and family playing Uno, Michigan Rummy, or Trivial Pursuit. The two of us would play Finance, a precursor to Monopoly. For many years every day after work he would fill a large glass full of ice cubes and water. Then he slowly and loudly crunched the ice cubes, driving us nuts. And then there were hot dogs. He loved Costco hot dogs and could not get enough of them. Every visit, birthday etc., he wanted a hot dog. After time we brought him hotdogs from Costco but we ate something else. The food did not matter, we just enjoyed each other’s company.”

Grandson Ryan recalls, “One of the more recent memories I have of Grandpa was how sharp his memory and ability to learn or do things was. Last Christmas, my family went down to visit and have lunch with him. We decided to play a game of dominoes, which is my favorite game. Here I am trying to explain the game to my family, who is really struggling to grasp and understand the game. And then there was Grandpa, who caught on real fast and was really enjoying the game and doing way better than anyone else in the family. It was such an enjoyable moment to see Grandpa so happy and we got to enjoy a game with him and have fun.”

Granddaughter Callie says “My funny memory of Grandpa is the way he used to laugh so hard at things. Like when I would bring him my Olaf stuffed animal and sit him down next to Grandpa and he would laugh at his new snowman friend.

His smile would light up a room and it made me smile when he would laugh because he was so happy to be around the people he loved, his family!”

Granddaughter Alana remembers “During a visit one year to Seattle, he had asked me to look at signs on the freeway in Flagstaff, near where I lived, and memorize how to spell “Albuquerque” so I could recite it for him next time I came back to visit. He was super excited when I managed to get it right.”

Daughter-in-Law Kerri misses Duane calling. “He used to call me at least 10 times a day, which sometimes got humorously annoying. Now every time the phone rings I still think it’s going to be him. What I wouldn’t give to hear his voice one more time! I can still hear his voice singing “Bear in Tennis Shoes”, which he sang over and over for me until I had it down perfect so I could sing it at my own National Park evening campfire programs. Duane made me laugh every time we would visit him over the last few years. He always wanted us to bring him a Costco hot dog; it was his secret indulgence that he never could get in the “yucky” Wesley dining hall. We would eat hot dogs and play games. The first time we played RACKO, he was getting a little disheartened that he wasn’t winning so Kyle and I covertly fed him the cards he needed so he could win a round. Well, wouldn’t you know, Duane was so giddy and thereafter he won nearly every single time we played! We came to regret our ploy, as he beat us every week. There was nothing wrong with that sharp brain!”

Daughter-in-law Anne says, “I will forever remember the way Duane and Clara just so matter-of-factly mentioned one day that whenever they drive anywhere, Duane is the EYES and Clara is the EARS! As the look of horror crossed everyone’s faces, there were Duane and Clara holding hands and smiling warmly at each other with no concern at all. They had no worries because they had Jesus and each other. They had all the riches of the world!”

We are all richer for having had Duane in our lives. We wish you many happy thoughts as you remember his life!

Donations in Duane’s memory can be made to the Washington’s National Parks Fund (WNPF.org)