Lois Audrey Nelson was born on October 4, 1926, in Camas, Washington, to Edna May Cox Nelson and Raymond Nelson. Lois grew into a beautiful young woman who worked at the prestigious Paramount Theater downtown Seattle as an usher. When she was 17, she met James Bollinger Rockey who was in town for Naval training in 1943. They corresponded over the next two years while Jim was overseas during WWII. In 1945 Jim returned, asked Lois to marry him, and on September 30, 1945 they married. They had three children Larry James, Linda Marie, and Colleen Susan.
In 1953, Lois returned to work at Western Union, where she worked for the next 26 years. Her proudest achievement was attaining the Night Shift Supervisor position at Western Union and that she was a Union Shop Steward for 22 years. She and Jim bought a house in Renton and moved. Jim started getting sick from Parkinson’s disease. For the next 8 years Lois stayed home to care for him and her Special Needs granddaughter, Jennifer. Linda moved from Washington to Texas with Jennifer and her other four children.
Lois lost Jim in 2005. In 2010, Lois moved in with her daughter, Colleen, and her husband George in Great Falls due to failing health from medical problems such as Scoliosis and advanced age. She lived with them for almost 12 years. She loved sitting on the deck watching the birds, watching old TV westerns, and the Mariner baseball games. Lois passed in her sleep June 16, 2021. To read the complete obituary and share condolences, visit the Schnider Funeral Home website.
