Laurie Nelson Weatherston

June 11, 1952 – October 10, 2016

Members of the South Lake and Carson Valley communities lost a dear friend last month to an unexpected complication of surgery. Laurie passed quietly October 10th at U.C. Davis Medical Center with her husband Scott at her side.

Laurie was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. After successfully battling cancer in her early twenties, she completed her studies at Sonoma State, earning her BA in Psychology in 1976.

Her interests in running, hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing led her to Lake Tahoe in the early 1980s, where she met her future husband Scott Weatherston, and her soon to be stepson Sean. Scott and Laurie celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary on September 17, 2016.

Laurie’s career began in 1984 working for Turner & Associates, Inc. – Stateline, NV. This was followed by Lumos & Associates, Inc – Carson City and R.O. Anderson Engineering, Inc. - Minden. She became a licensed Professional Land Surveyor, (Nevada), January, 2002. In 2006 she started Weatherston Surveying, LLC, and worked for herself, a dream fulfilled.

Laurie loved her mountains, often venturing out solo to hike, run and snow shoe in the upper Kingsbury area. She trekked the mountain sides of Virginia City and Kingston, to plot out properties for her clients. She would happily share photos of wild horses, goats and fowl she spotted while there to her friends. She was also an avid San Francisco Giants fan, played the piano, acoustic guitar, and flute.

Her love of the out of doors led her to being an active and valuable member of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue (DCSAR) team for 12 years. Along with responding to

persons in need, she also managed the first aid program for DCSAR, and took the lead in providing first aid teams for the many bicycle and running events at Lake Tahoe. Never turning down an assignment, she met the challenges with enthusiasm, in spite of her small stature, all of 95 lbs and 4’11” height. Her close friends often called her “pea-nut”.

Laurie leaves behind her loving husband Scott, sister Kathy Nelson, step-son Sean Weatherston and step-mother Marilyn Nelson. She also leaves behind numerous cousins, friends and her beloved cats, Persia, Wolfie and Yoda.

Laurie is preceded in death by her parents Don Nelson and Barbara Eiler, part of a landmark entertainment family headed by her uncle and aunt, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, and her step-father Martin Sperzel.

A memorial and Celebration of Life for Laurie will be held on December 10th, 2016 at 2pm at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Stateline, Nevada.