I was sorry to hear of the passing of Nelson’s Lois Arnesen (pictured below) on New Year’s Eve. I wrote a profile of Lois in 2012 for the Nelson Star’s Kootenay Pioneers series.
Lois was a life-long resident of Nelson. Her parents, Bert and Jeanne Whimster, arrived here in the early 1920. She was well known for her 21 years as a Welcome Wagon hostess — in fact she greeted me to Nelson in 2010. She was named Nelson’s Citizen of the Year for 2012.
She was also one of three panelists at a family history night I hosted last February at Touchstones Nelson. Among other things, she shared memories of L.V. Rogers — the man for whom the school was named. She was student council prime minister while he was principal. You can see the video, recorded by Nelson Becker, here:
https://www.facebook.com/nelson.becker.7/videos/10154288540886863/
Lois also attended the last history night in December at the courthouse, and seemed to be doing well, so I was surprised to learn that she had died. A life well lived.
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