Obituary: Shinnick, H. Wilma Nelson
Age 92
Wilma was very proud of her Idaho heritage, born on April 19, 1923, in Denver, Idaho to Hattie Zehner Nelson and Edwin Nelson.
Wilma died on October 7, 2015, surrounded by her loving family.
Riding her horse Blue to her one-room schoolhouse in Denver in her early years, then spent her sophomore year at St. Gertrude’s Academy; and part of her high school years in Boise when the legislature was in session, due to the fact that her father was a State Senator (1923 - 1940) and Lt.
Governor (1942 - 1944).
He also served as the head of Idaho’s Fish Game Department.
Shortly after graduating from high school, she married John Dill Shinnick, Jr., the son of Doc Shinnick and Rose McFadden Shinnick.
Doc was an old-time country doctor who got paid in chickens or not at all.
While Wilma’s father was a Republican, her father-in-law was elected as a Democratic State Representative.
Surprisingly, John and Wilma never fought over politics.
Wilma enjoyed many things, including dancing with John, playing bridge, and like her parents was a pioneer, traveling to China in 1976 as one of the first Americans and later many parts of the world.
In her 50’s, her husband introduced her to golf; and that became an intense hobby they both enjoyed.
She became so proficient at golf, she won many tournaments and hit four hole-in-one’s.
While John worked as a construction manager for AT&T in Spokane, she worked hard raising their three children: John Nelson, Philip Kent, and Susan Jane Shinnick.
After 22 years in Spokane, John was transferred to Seattle then Bremerton, and they remained there until retiring 10 years later in the Lakeland Golf Community in Allyn, Washington.
Following John’s death in 1993, Wilma traveled and golfed with her partner, Harry Rhoads, for the next 13 years.
For the last 7 years, she lived with her daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Harold West, in Portland, Oregon.
In addition to Susan, she is also survived by her son, Phillip K. (B.J.
Cling) Shinnick, PhD, of New York, NY, and daughter-in-law, Lynn Shinnick, of Arlington, WA.
She is also survived by nine grandchildren, Dana (Dennis) Willerford, Lane (Debbie) Shinnick, Jay (Torri) Shinnick, Shannon (Cameron) Smock, Quincey Shinnick, Nelson Nathaniel (Sarah) Shinnick, Phillip Kent Cling Shinnick, Todd (Jennifer) McIlhenny, and Mary McIlhenny (Greg) Kreta; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Wilma was a hard worker, a gracious hostess, and completely devoted to her family; they will all gather together near her beloved Idaho countryside next July to celebrate her life as they lay her ashes to rest next to her husband in the Denver Cemetery, near her family ranch.