Applegater Winter 2017
21
OBITUARIES continued
Bridget Marie Nilson
Clyde Clarence Wilson Jr.
February 23, 1966 - June 24, 2017
February 11, 1942 - September 26, 2017
Br i d g e t Ma r i e
Nilson, 51,
passed away on
June 24, 2017, at
Rogue Regional
Medical Center in
Medford, Oregon.
Bridget was born
February 23, 1966,
to Larry A. Nilson
a n d We n d y A n n
Nilson in Bremerton,
Washington. She
graduated from
Molalla High School
in Molalla, Oregon,
and attended Oregon
State University.
Bridget developed
a deep passion for horses during her early
childhood and, for the past 25 years, was
a professional horse trainer and riding
instructor. Bridget’s style of living was
always off the beaten track. The last several
years of her life she lived in her beautiful
home on Joe Bar over the California border
along Elliot Creek.
Bridget is survived by her father and
stepmother, Annie Nilson, of Medford.
She was preceded in death by her mother
and brothers, Eric and Ryan.
Bridget is the best friend I’ve ever had.
She suffered the most profound, unfair
loss of her family as a young woman, and
from the ashes of her suffering emerged
the bravest, truest, kindest person I have
ever known.
When you were with her, she was with
you, completely. She possessed the rarest
gift: the ability to give you her perfect
attention, to feel with you your suffering,
and to celebrate your joy.
She knew how to stretch and mine
every earthly pleasure possible from an
afternoon at a secret swimming hole or
a beautiful meal. She wasted nothing.
She made the ordinary, extraordinary—I
wouldn’t be the first to call it magic.
Her commitment to being true to
herself and living in integrity with the
earth, people, and animals showed in
every detail of her life. She left with little
evidence of having been here, no debts or
unfinished business. Just a huge amount of
love and gratitude in the hearts of the many
people whose lives she touched.
—Amber Guient
Few people who come into your life
forever change you. For me, Bridget was
one of those people. From the day we met
I felt she was someone special. She brought
beauty, adventure, and courage into the
center of my world. She found inspiration
everywhere. When shared with Bridget,
meals, walks, and ordinary moments took
on a sentiment of praise.
Bridget possessed true generosity of
spirit, which she extended to strangers,
acquaintances, and the many fortunate
to know her as a friend. I admired her
presence, sensibility, tenderness, her ability
to make everything
c l e a r. My l i f e i s
infinitely richer from
my friendship with
her. Bridget was a
light in my world.
Sh e m a d e m a g i c
from the simplest
ingredients—a life
beautifully lived.
—Stacy Lund
Our amazing,
loving, openhearted,
sweet Bridget. A great
appreciator of people,
nature, and animals.
She was truly a force
of nature. So unique,
beautiful, and rare. She was the queen
of savoring life in its finest, being true
to oneself, and dancing with unbridled
abandon. And she had the special gift of
being with you wherever you were.
Because of Bridget’s friendship I learned
how to be a better friend. She demanded we
look at ourselves as much as she searched
her own reflection. When I celebrated, she
was my biggest cheerleader. When I felt
I’d failed, she was there to say “It’s okay”
in that soft, sweet Bridget voice that I will
always remember. I’m forever grateful to
have known her. Love you B, ride free in
the sky. —Ellen Cohen
Bridget the horse trainer would say:
“Use as little as possible but as much as
it takes.” It was her formula for life. She
was not only a horse whisperer, but a
good friend who stood wholly present as
she witnessed and guided us through life’s
struggles. By pushing “as little as possible
but as much as it takes,” she offered each of
us the ability to grow both within ourselves
and alongside her. Although that growth
was not always comfortable, it came with
deep rewards. Her formula for life and her
carefree style gave Bridget the freedom and
love for life that let her soar. She left behind
many grateful horses and friends ready to
embrace what is in front of us.
—Deborah Buoy
I met Bridget 13 years ago. She was
sitting at the McKee Bridge bar wearing
Wranglers and a pink cowgirl shirt. I
plopped down next to her and the first
thing she asked me was if I shaved my
legs. We compared leg hair and I was sold.
Bridget was so uniquely Bridget. She
radiated authenticity and enriched my life
beyond words through her love, care, and
ability to be the most dedicated friend I
could imagine. Her friends received her
complete attention.
Despite life’s challenges, Bridget
became the most beautiful flower, like the
Washington lilies blooming behind her
house the day she passed. Maybe that’s
why she was here such a short time: to hit
us hard with her love and uniqueness, then
leave us with it, raw and unfiltered.
Allie Parkin • mineekhoorn@gmail.com
Clyde Clarence
Wilson Jr., 75, passed
away in his sleep on
September 26, 2017.
He was bo rn on
February 11, 1942, in
Lindsay, California,
to Clyde C. and
Gineva Y. (Wright)
Wilson. He never met
a stranger and was
always welcoming
and engaged.
Clyde married
Andrea Kay Ridenour
in 1960 in Reno,
Nevada. They were lifelong soul mates from
their first meeting in fifth grade through 55
happily married years. Clyde was an active
member of the Rogue Gem & Geology
Club in Grants Pass, and he taught the art
of gem faceting and shared the joys of rock
hounding at area schools. Clyde enjoyed
fishing, camping, hiking, rock hunting,
and jewelry making and faceting, pursuing
every hobby with passion. An avid lover of
nature and animals, he also shared a love
of travel with his wife.
He graduated from Lindsay High
School in Lindsay, California, in 1960.
After serving in the US Air Force from
1961 to 1981, he furthered his education,
receiving two associates degrees as he
moved from missile technician to computer
programming and scheduling. Clyde
most recently worked at Harry & David
in computer programming and was
previously employed at CP National and
Sterling Business Forms.
Clyde was preceded in death by his
wife, Andrea, and parents, Clyde Wilson
Sr. and Gineva. He is survived by his
sons Eric (Deanna) Wilson of Portland
and Chris (Kristine) Wilson of Lynden,
Washington; his sister, Pat Bray, of Tulare,
California; his grandchildren, Elizabeth,
Ashley, Katherine, and Robert; and his
nieces and other relatives.
While no memorial service will be held,
the family appreciates those who have been
a part of Clyde’s life. In lieu of flowers, the
family requests memorial donations to
benefit American veterans.
Clyde Wilson was a good friend and
neighbor to many of us on Thompson
Creek Road in Applegate. My friendship
with him began years ago when he and
Andrea shared stories around the tables at
Ruch Library while folding the Applegaters
for mailing, and our friendship grew on
Advertisers!
For rates and other
information, contact:
Ron Turpen
541-601-1867
ronaldaturpen
@gmail.com
Next deadline:
February 1
morning walks with
our dogs. When his
wife, Andrea, passed
away last year, Clyde
and his dogs were
frequent visitors to
our home. Clyde’s
sense of humor was
catching. He always
had something
comical to share and
kept us laughing
during our visits. But
he was serious about
politics and didn’t
hide his biases. He
wasn’t afraid to speak out and always had
something pertinent to say on any subject.
The loves of his life were Andrea, his
dogs, Wilson and Winston, and his work
with the Rogue Gem & Geology Club.
Clyde was always talking about how he
loved visiting children in classrooms to
share his knowledge of rocks and gems.
Bill Strickland, president of the Rogue
Gem & Geology Club, said, “For those of
us who had the delightful opportunity to
spend time with Clyde, his profound and
contagious love of rocks was clearly evident
to all age groups. His eyes sparkled and his
face radiated when speaking about rocks.
He gave sunstones to folks in the hospital
during his last week with us, and they, too,
experienced the joy Clyde felt for the earth,
as thousands of children in the Grants Pass
area can attest to.”
If any of you have been on the receiving
end of one of Clyde’s rocks or gems,
treasure it. It is a reminder of a wonderful
man who will be missed.
Joan Peterson • 541-846-6988
Clyde was my next-door neighbor for
29 years. Over those years, we dealt with
deer poachers, trespassers, kooks, bears,
and lions—not to mention potlucks,
laughs, and stories.
He would tell me about taking care of
the nuke missiles when he was stationed at
the air force base in Minot, North Dakota,
when it was 50 degrees below zero. I could
picture Clyde sitting on top of one of those
nukes polishing its nose to a glorious shine.
Clyde and his late wife, Andrea, were
very involved with the Applegater from its
start. If they weren’t on some back trail
with their pack llamas, they’d be stuffing
Applegaters into bulk mail bags.
Clyde was a great neighbor who will
be missed.
J.D. Rogers • 541-846-7736
