Book 2 - Nathan, Amy, Madison and Ethan Berga

“Would you say a few words before you go”
not wanting his son to leave just yet. “I knew
what he meant, so I just prayed for him. From
then on, until he died, which was about a week
or two after that, you could tell he really gotten
saved.” 70 After Albert’s death, Nettie’s own
faith was renewed.
Albert died at the age of 80, August 16, 1950, and
was buried in Shelton Memorial Cemetery. 83 His sons
took the farm, dividing the land between themselves.
Gus had built a home next to Nettie’s house where
Tony lived with his wife and children.
Living near her sons and their families, Nettie watched
her grandchildren grow to young adults, she collected
rocks, and was known for her beautiful braided
rugs. She was a thin, small woman, who spoke with a
Norwegian accent; pronouncing her grand-daughter,
Juanita’s name, “Van-ita.”
Nettie appeared in her local paper when she exhibited
her braided rugs in the Fair, “Handiwork for the
Mason County
Fair will be coming
through the efforts of
many people. Mrs. Nettie Ellison
is a 90 year old, long-time resident
of Mason County who will be
contributing her share to this county
show. Mrs. Ellison has lived in the
Kamilche area since 1910. Her hands never tire doing
braided rugs and tied quilts. She is still active in
garden work and her neighbor, Mrs. Richard Kelly,
attests to her ability at wild blackberry picking. Bread
making will be another skill shown in the entries at
the fair. Mrs. Ellison is the mother of Angus and Tony,
twin sons also residing in the Kamilche area.” 76
Nettie died in her sleep, February 6, 1972. She was 99
years old. When her family found her the next morning;
laid out on her night stand, Nettie had written
Above, Nettie Ellison’s Sewing Machine; courtesy of Juanita (Ellison) Meier
83