2A | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 | SIUSLAW NEWS
On The Record
OBITUARIES
NELSON—Keith L. Nel-
son was born to Eleanor and
Sidney Nelson on July 25,
1937, in DeSmet, S.D., and
has passed away after a long
and prosperous life.
He grew up in the “Little
Town on the Prairie,” where
he and his brothers, Boyd
and Dennis, had all sorts of
fun and caused a little bit of
mischief on the farm.
It is from his youth that
he became
a true out-
doorsman
who loved
to pheasant
hunt and
fish. Keith
passed
down his
Keith
fishing
Nelson
skills to his
kids and
grandkids. The love he had
for the outdoors was his se-
renity.
After graduating from
high school, he entered the
U.S. Navy, where he served
our country for several years.
After leaving the Navy, he
attended South Dakota
State University and earned
a bachelor’s degree in edu-
cation. Later, he earned his
master’s degree from Oregon
State University.
Keith’s life always focused
on his wife (Joanne, who re-
cently passed), his three chil-
dren — Pegeen, Nancy and
Darek — his daughter-in-law
Rita, and his five grandkids:
Matthew, Becky, Cree, Mitch-
ell and Ellie.
Keith began his career
in Carlin, Nev., as a special
education teacher. He then
moved his family to Port Or-
ford, where he taught shop
and coached the high school
boys’ basketball team. After
living in Port Orford a few
years, he moved his family
north to Florence where he
was Siuslaw High School’s
counselor and head basket-
ball coach.
Other than hunting and
fishing, Keith’s passion was
coaching boys high school
basketball, where he led Siu-
slaw to its best state tourna-
ment finish at third place.
Keith retired from coach-
ing in the late 70s, turning his
attention to his family and
construction.
Along with his wife Jo-
anne, they started Nelson and
Nelson Construction. They
built several customs homes
in the Florence community
and performed a countless
number of remodels both in
town and along all the sur-
rounding lakes. His wood
craftsmanship and eye for
detail was exceptional.
In addition, Keith spent
years of dedicated service on
the Florence Planning Com-
mission as well as being a
chair for Lane Community
College-Florence Campus.
After a long career with
Siuslaw High School, he re-
tired in 1994. Soon after that,
he retired from construction
all together. His passions
after retirement were his
grandkids, golfing, growing
a beautiful vegetable garden,
and the outdoors. His grand-
kids brought picnics, fishing,
fun and joy to his life.
Keith will always be re-
membered as a devoted hus-
band, a fabulous father to his
kids and the best “Gramps”
the grandkids could ask for.
His wonderful ability to lis-
ten, his positive attitude and
sense of humor will truly be
missed.
We know you are with
Mom now, and may you rest
in peace.
There will be celebrating
Keith’s life on June 7, begin-
ning at 1 p.m. at Presbyterian
Church of the Siuslaw. In lieu
of flowers, please donate to
the Emergency Cold Weath-
er Shelter at 3996 Hwy 101,
Florence, Ore., 97439.
GOULDING —John
Goulding, 67, formerly of
Deadwood was born Sept. 28,
1950 and died June 24, 2017.
John grew up with his par-
ents, two sisters and brother
in Alturas Calif., where he
knew his future wife Suzy as
his youngest sister’s friend
and his future in-laws as his
high school teachers.
John was an incredibly
talented and hard-working
man, capable of figuring out
most things he set his mind
to with a book and practice.
From managing shoe stores
in California to becoming the
Capitan of the Miss Maria
in Alas-
ka, John
worked
his ass off.
He
was
an artist,
ultimately
finding his
medium
John
in wood.
Goulding
Throughout the North-
west, the beautiful and func-
tional furniture, cabinets and
homes that he’s built will last
generations. If you’ve ever
visited Heceta Head Light-
house or the Monterey Bay
Aquarium, you’ve probably
seen his work.
The love that John’s wife
and daughter felt from him
was unparalleled. When Ce-
leste was born John became a
committed father and moved
to Deadwood, Ore., with his
small family. John and Suzy
homesteaded in Deadwood
for 13 years, raising their
daughter.
They moved to Terre-
bonne, Ore., when Suzy was
hired as the Special Educa-
tion teacher for Culver El-
ementary. John claimed to
dislike people, yet he was a
hilarious and reliable friend
to many.
Somehow, he always was
available to help a neighbor
or friend, however begrudg-
ingly. His laugh and his jokes
will live on in all that ever saw
him having a good time. He
rarely told people goodbye,
rather favoring the phrase
“be good,” so we’ll do our best
to be good and continue on.
John died after being hos-
pitalized five days in Bend,
Ore., following a fall from the
roof at his home of 14 years
in Terrebonne.
He is survived by his
mother Betty Hough; his sib-
lings Kathleen, Michael and
Kristeen Goulding; his wife
Suzy Tignor and daughter
Celeste Goulding; along with
his fourth female black lab
with a three-letter name be-
ginning with I: Isa.
They will be collecting sto-
ries and photos of John to go
together in a memory book
celebrating his life while
coming up on the second an-
niversary of his passing this
June.
If you would like to send
something, or receive a copy
of the book, please reach out
at celeste97116@gmail.com.
RANTA—Judith (Judy)
Ranta was born Nov. 16,
1938, in Philadelphia, Penn.
Her parents were Fredrick W.
Brink and Doris Lippincott
Brink.
Having been a U.S. Navy
junior and the wife of a U.S.
Marine
C o r p s
a v i a t o r,
she
had
lived on
the East
Coast,
W e s t
C o a s t
Judith
and Gulf
Ranta
Coast,
as
well
as Mid-America, Japan and
Hawaii before eventually in
Oregon.
During her long life, she
reared eight children (five
of whom were adopted);
was a den mother; traveled
48 of the United States for a
year with six little children
while her husband served
in Okinawa, Japan, as an of-
ficer in the Marine Corps;
was a volunteer director for
the American Field Service
student exchange program
in Hawaii; placed more than
200 international children
into adoptive homes, primar-
ily in Hawaii; volunteered
to prepare and serve soup at
the Florence Free Lunch Pro-
gram for many years; volun-
teered at Florence Habitat for
Humanity on the family se-
lection committee for about
10 years; and was the office
manager for her husband’s
tax preparation business.
She died May 15, 2019, of
Alzheimer’s disease. She will
be missed by all who knew
her. She was preceded in
death by her parents and her
son, Roger Jr.
She is survived by her hus-
band of 59 years, Roger Ran-
ta; her brother, Fredrick W.
Brink, Jr.; her children: Heidi
Fillo, Timothy Ranta, James
Ranta, Peter Ranta, Margaret
Ranta, Helena Fitzgerald, Ke-
cia Classen and Cougar Lind;
15 grandchildren and eight
great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be
held at 1 p.m. on June 15, at
the Presbyterian Church of
the Siuslaw in Florence. Any
gifts given in her memory
can be made to the Florence
Habitat for Humanity or to
the Presbyterian Church of
the Siuslaw memorial fund.
COOPER—Anola Beth
Cooper, 85, beloved wife and
friend to so many, went to be
with our Lord on March 2,
2019.
She was born Dec. 30,
1933, in Selma, Calif., the
only child of Clara and Ewald
Rasmussen. A graduate of
Selma High School, Anola
went on to earn her license in
cosmetology.
Anola and her husband,
Bob, moved to Florence in
1991 upon their retirements.
They both
quick-
ly made
friends
who be-
c a m e
family to
them in
their early
Anola
years of
Cooper
living in
Florence.
The couple split their time
between Florence and Anola’s
childhood home in Selma for
many years. Anola enjoyed
working during her early re-
tirement years to help fulfill
her love engaging with peo-
ple.
She knew everyone and
was loved by everyone who
knew her.
Anola was preceded in
death by her parents; her
husband Garry Clements;
husband Robert Cooper; and
her grandson.
She is survived by two
grandchildren and many
family and friends in both
Selma and Florence. A cele
bration of her life will be held
at the Florence Senior Center,
1570 Kingwood, at 1 p.m. on
Saturday, June 8.
In lieu of flowers, friends
ask for contributions to be
made to a favorite organiza-
tion that helps support and
better the community that
Anola so loved.
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