Her blue, blue eyes were gazing at the sun-drenched Olympic Mountains reflected in the calm tide pools of Useless Bay. Her hands gently crossed over her heart. (After savoring one of her very favorite chocolate milkshakes from Dairy Queen!)
This is how Nancy Joanne Tallman left her body on March 25, 2011; reclining comfortably in an overstuffed chair with the sun shining brightly through the picture windows, stroking her face with its warm fingers.
This is also how she lived her life — adoring all of nature’s glorious faces. In these last years, she drew hundreds of sketches of her much-loved cabin on the lake in Alaska, smoke curling from the chimney and, always, some wild animal in the scene.
Never far from home until age 18, newly married to Philip Iverson, she made a courageous move from Minnesota to Alaska, driving the rugged, pot-holed, muddy Alcan road through untamed wilderness, sharing sleeping quarters in bunkhouses full of men. Together they raised five children, who survive her now, carrying on her love of the outdoors: Dianne and Tom currently living on Whidbey and Bill, Mary and Patricia in other states. Nine grandchildren and four great-grandkids will all miss her gentle, never-complaining nature and her clear, loving blue eyes.
When her children were young, she was outside with them at all seasons; building snow horses they could ride to anywhere they could imagine, skating rosy-cheeked on frozen lakes, angel-making in fluffy snow, totally covering them in autumn leaves and feigning extreme surprise when they burst from the pile, carving streams with sticks from dirty puddles in spring, and on every other summer week toting her child “wolf pack” of five off on yet another outdoor adventure, swimming, hiking, camping, canoeing, fishing and bonfires on the beach, watching over them devotedly, content to allow nature itself to provide its timeless lessons.
Her husband of the second half of her life, Sam Tallman, who left his own body less than two years ago, surely greets her with his loving smile.
We continue to see you every day, Mom, in every remarkable spectacle of nature, such as those in the slideshow below. We love you!
A gathering in loving honor of Nancy Tallman will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. May 2 at the Grange Hall at Lone Lake.
Everyone is welcome to come for all or part of the evening. Come (in comfortable clothes to move in) and armed with finger food and gobs of affection for Nancy, whose spirit will surely be there, tickled pink that you came and smiling and dancing up a storm!
A 6 p.m., Christine Tasseff, teacher of 5 Rhythms and Authentic Movement, along with musicians, Rachman and Joseph, will facilitate a “Dance through Life,” in Nancy’s honor, of which you are invited to participate.
