Donald T. Nesheim's Obituary
Donald (Ted) Nesheim passed away January 20, 2020. He was 87 years old. Ted was born in Everett, WA on Feb, 27, 1932 to the proud parents Hannah and Chet Nesheim. Ted attended school, played the clarinet, had a paper route – a fairly typical childhood for a kid coming out of the Great Depression and smack in middle of World War 2. Ted's Dad, Chet, an electrician by trade and a bit of an opportunist, decided to uproot the family in his 7thgrade year and move them to eastern Washington to a growing little town called Richland. They arrived in time to see the town quadruple in population in just a year. Lots of work and opportunities were here, next to a place called Hanford, where everyone was busy doing some government work as the war toiled on. Ted enjoyed hunting pheasants and ducks with his Dad and new friends at school. He ran track and was involved in the boxing program. It was here that he began his love of tinkering and learning how to turn wrenches. He acquired his first car by trading a pair of boxing gloves for it, and pushed it home with some buddies. You can bet it was a real beauty. Not long after the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, it was discovered that the booming town of Richland and the project at Hanford everyone was working on, was the atomic bomb. Nobody had any idea that they were making such a weapon right in their own backyard. Many families immediately packed up and left, scared of what was going on. Ted's family stayed until his Junior year when they moved a short ways away to Prosser. He continued his high school activities there, added a job at the local service station and graduated from Prosser High in the class of 1950. The next Fall, he enrolled at Western Washington University. He was there one quarter when he was alerted that his folks decided to make a big move to Panama, where his Dad was offered a job as an electrician on the canal. Not long after arriving, his mother wrote to tell him how much they missed him and asked if he would join them, as the area they, and other Americans lived,The Canal Zone, also offered college courses. Finding it hard to turn down his mother and such an opportunity for an outgoing young man, he packed up and made his way to Panama, on what would ultimately become the biggest adventure of his life. It was here that he met the colorful locals that would regularly take him along to the deepest recesses of the tropical jungle. Places where it was mandatory for a guy to carry a machete at the minimum to fend off the many venomous snakes and and other animals that were a constant threat. Sounds a bit like a Tarzan show – according to him in many ways it was. Encountering crocodiles and snakes ,such as the Anaconda that they hunted for their skin, would be adventures that would allow Ted to entertain adults and kids alike for the rest of his life. While in Panama, the Korean broke out and Ted received his draft notice. The newly formed Air Force was his life for the next four years. Fortunately, he was to based out of Panama, working at the Air Base for the next three years of the war and traveled to nearly every country in Central and South America for the Air Force, finishing out his time with a year in Detroit. After the Service, he returned to Everett and enrolled in Everett Junior College on the GI Bill, where he was to meet the love of his life and future wife, Sally. They both transferred to Western Washington University and he graduated with a Bachelor's Degree and a Teaching Certificate in Industrial Arts. Ted and Sally were married August 16, 1958 in Everett and they moved to Federal Way, WA where they both landed teaching jobs. His education continued every summer for the next six years at the U.W for continued training for his teaching certificate. After one year of teaching 5th grade, he was hired as the Industrial Arts teacher and helped open up the brand new Lakota Junior High School. He would remain there for the next 35 years, helping thousands of students through wood and metal shop, mechanical drawing and even art classes. He coached track and was involved in numerous school and community projects over the years, that benefited from having a person with a diverse set of skills such that he had. A dedicated teacher to the school and the students, he never missed a day of school during his career. Generations of students remember him for his compassion for education, safety of the students around dangerous machinery, and the development of practical skills they would carry with them through their adult lives. He also taught small engine repair classes at Highline Community College for many years in the evenings, reaching out to the adult students. Ted and Sally had three houses built during their 61 years of marriage. Their pride and joy being the last place they owned for 42 years: A beautiful, five acre farm in the Brown's Point Community. He worked very hard to get the place just how he liked it. Building a barn, fencing it all in so that many farm animals (Horses, pigs, chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, cats, his big Koi pond and especially his favorite – many loving dogs) would all have a carefree lifestyle as he and Sally pampered them. When some folks retire, they might buy themselves a new car, a boat, or take a trip. Ted bought a brand new, shiny orange Kubota tractor that he enjoyed riding around the farm, replacing his 1955 International tractor. He also loved gardening. He planted many fruit trees and always was proud of his large vegetable garden he planted every year. He had a greenhouse that let him get an early start on his favorite plants, and growing bountiful heirloom tomatoes from seed. His shop at the school was meticulously maintained, and his well tooled shop at home, his 'Man-Cave', received the same care. This is where Ted enjoyed his time the most. Working on projects for the students until late in the evening, or projects for friends and community members that knew he was the 'go-to' guy if they needed something built, refinished or repaired(especially mowers). Ted had a knack for being able to fix anything, and people knew it. A bit of an outdoorsman when he was younger, Ted loved duck hunting, fishing the rivers and lakes.After retiring in 1994, he and Sally regularly walked every single morning with their dogs on many local trails, enjoying the Dash Point State Park in particular. For 25 years, up until the last few months, this was their daily ritual and kept him in good enough shape to be as active as a guy a generation younger. He loved going with Sally to professional musicals, plays and performances at Tacoma Actors Guild and Tacoma Musical Playhouse. The two of them were active square dancers for many years and active in their Sons of Norway, Vesterdalen Lodge, in Auburn the last 28 years. They raised three children (Patty, Danny and Elizabeth) and devoted their time to the many activities the kids were involved in. The girls, with their horse events, would often take an entire weekend of trailering horses and attending events. Danny, with his many sports, was always at a game. All three were very active in music. Ted never complained, he was always promptly there to give a ride and offer encouragement, and always with his coffee thermos. He is also survived by his beloved grandchildren: Hannah and Griffin Ronhovde He was able to make a few big trips: Mexico and the Bahamas cruises, trip to England and France , and a really big trip to Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Also, many trips in the United States. He was always looking forward to the next adventure, however short or long. Services will be held Saturday, Feb. 29th, 10am. Garden Chapel at Mountain View Cemetery, in Lakewood. Donations may be made to the Pierce County Humane Society in Ted's name.
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