Nellie was born Oct. 7, 1913, in Arletta, Wash. She passed away March 5, 2013, at Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d’Alene, after undergoing a partial hip replacement to repair her broken leg. She came through surgery just fine but went downhill from there.

Not many of us will live long enough to see all the changes in this world that Nellie did. She seemed to remember the trip by covered wagon from Yakima to Spokane and then to Pend Oreille County with her parents, Harry (Hap) and Margaret Blake and brother Bob. She was 4 and Bob was 2 at the time.

She and her husband Irvin had a dairy farm near Nine Mile Falls, Wash., and she was active in the 4-Mound Homemaker’s Club. While living at Riverview Terrace in Spokane she read to some of the younger students at the local elementary school. Over the years she did a lot of sewing, quilt making, crocheting and cake decorating for family and friends. She loved to read most any kind of book. This last year or so she enjoyed singing her version of some of the songs her mother and father used to sing.

Nellie was preceded in death by her parents; five younger siblings, Bob, Jim, Glen, Clara and Ed Blake; her husband, Irvin and their daughter, Shirley Grist. She is survived by her daughter, Helen (Glenn) Thiele; sisters-in-law, Kathy Blake, Jesse Carter and Marion Paxon; brother-in-law Dick (Norma) Madison; son in-law Monroe Grist; grandchildren, Toni Caywood, Neil (Vivian) Thiele, Ron (Pam) Grist, Larry (Karen) Grist and Richie (Michelle) Grist; 12 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and friends.?There will be no funeral but a potluck memorial will be held early this summer for all of her family and friends to gather to celebrate her life.?Thank you for all the condolences, prayers and kind deeds that we, her family have received.

Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home, Newport, Wash., is in charge of the arrangements. Family and friends are invited to sign the online guest book at sherman-knapp.com.