Carlson, Melinda Stewart

[Rocke Warren]

Melinda passed away the morning of February 17th, 2017 from complications of Alzheimers.

Melinda was the daughter of Angie and Stewart Carlson. She grew up in Cottage Grove, OR, graduating from Cottage Grove High School. She earned a degree in Science from the UofO. She went on to achieve a degree in nursing from OHSU, after which she married Tom Creager, a dentistry student. She worked as a public health visiting nurse for Multnomah County, OR for 2 years. After Tom graduated, the Navy stationed the couple in southern California, then sent him to Vietnam. The couple lived in San Clemente where she worked as a private nurse. After Tom finished service duties, the couple moved to Cottage Grove where he established a dental practice. They had two sons before divorcing.

Melinda spent the rest of her life in Eugene raising her two sons while working as a school nurse for the Junction City School System. She worked there as a nurse for 28 years. She said she always wanted to be a nurse since childhood. "I feel it is a privilege to be able to help the children every day." She spent a lot of time health counseling with staff, parents and special needs kids. She always played soft classical music in her nursing room to "create a special atmosphere".

Melinda married Jim Wassom, a fellow teacher in Junction City. During their 14 years of marriage she helped him raise his two children, Sarah and Jeff. Eventually she married Irving Roberts, saying he was the love of her life. Irving died in 2010. In her later years her constant and devoted companion was Jim Seitz, a friend with whom she grew up in Cottage Grove.

Melinda was a gifted gardener, a reader of fine literature and art history; a collector of visual art; a gourmet cook and cat affectionado. She and her older sister spent much time together at their family Oregon beach cabin. Always interested in the natural world, Melinda had a penchant for collecting rocks of all kinds.

She enjoyed the Eugene Symphony. In her younger years she skied, biked, canoed, practiced yoga and was a daily jogger. She became an active feminist in the 1970s and promoted community health programs and women's issues throughout her life. She called herself a secular humanist.

Melinda is survived by her sons, Stewart and Carr Creager of Eugene, her older sister Saundra Timbelake and her nephew Gordon Munro. There will be no services. Memorial donations may be made to Heifer International , the Hospice Foundation and Planned Parenthood.