Leigh Ann Nielson

Leigh Ann (Sams, James) Nielson

Leigh Ann passed away peacefully in her home at the age of 64 with her loved
ones at her side on January 12, 2025. She was born January 6, 1961 in Seattle,
Washington to Darrel and Karen (Stickley) Sams. She graduated from Lake
Washington High School in Kirkland in 1978, from the University of Washington
with a degree in Business Administration and a math minor, and from Seattle
University with a Masters in Teaching. She worked for several years at the Bank of
America in the Columbia Tower in Seattle while finishing her Bachelor’s degree
and then going on to get her Master’s Degree. This was not easy, as she was also
a single parent at the time. She then came to Moses Lake in 2000 to become a
math teacher at Frontier Middle School.

During her teaching career, she advocated for her fellow teachers as a MLEA
Union rep for many years and also on the negotiating committee. She also
officiated Frontier volleyball games and area high school volleyball games as well
as umpiring for the Columbia Basin Umpire Association in baseball and softball
games and numerous tournaments through the years. She really enjoyed and
excelled at umpiring, and helped train others, as well. The biggest compliment she
remembered from this time is when she was umpiring a Warden High School
softball game and the catcher said that the team referred to her as "the fair one".
She was a fair, kind, fun-loving teacher who helped students have fun and build a
sense of community while also learning mathematical facts. She was also
generous with her time and helpful to others. On any given day during her lunch
time, there would be students in her room having lunch with her rather than in the
lunchroom. She would let her hair grow long for several years and then get it cut
and donate it to Wigs for Kids. She did this 4 times during her time at Frontier. She
chose Wigs For Kids as they will make wigs for any kid who needs one- including
burn survivors. For six summers she volunteered/worked at Camp Eyabsut, a
camp at North Bend for child burn survivors.

She met her husband Brian Nielson in 2000 and they married in 2016. Brian was a
Ham/Amateur Radio enthusiast and Leigh Ann became one as well. She got her
license in 2004, and spent many hours talking with people all over the world. Brian
is a long-time fishing guide and they enjoyed fishing for steelhead on the Grande
Ronde River, and for walleye in the Potholes, Moses Lake, and Banks Lake. They
also found time to organize and run local pool leagues and pool tournaments for
many years. They both loved music and attended many concerts together. They
saw Celine Dion at Caesar’s Palace in 2004 , Cher and Bob Segar and The
Eagles in Spokane, and many concerts at the Gorge. Leigh Ann was also
instrumental in recent upgrades to the Gorge’s handicapped access to concerts.
Their last concert together was Luke Combs last October.

In more recent years, she really enjoyed spending time with her son Brian's kids--
her grandchildren--and with her father, who had moved to Moses Lake in his later
years.

Unfortunately, in February of 2022 she had to retire early from teaching because
the ALS she had been diagnosed with in 2019, made it impossible to continue.
She valiantly faced the challenges and changes in her life, as the ALS slowly took
its toll. In spite of these life altering changes, and becoming more and more
dependent on others, she continued to help others whenever possible, and make
them feel comfortable in her presence. When her young grandchildren came over,
she would take them for rides on her lap on her electric wheelchair. They loved it.
She wrote several pages of detailed information/ideas/suggestions for ALS
patients and others who are losing their mobility. Her information is now being
used at ALS Clinics, by local doctors, and by many pastors in Washington, to help
those with ALS or other mobility issues.

Leigh Ann was preceded in death by her mother Karen and is survived by her
father Darrel, husband Brian Nielson, her son Brian (Kim) James, her sisters
Kathy Sturges and Julee (Kurt) Wilson, and her grandchildren Merick, Truett,
Benelli, Harlee, and Peyten.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the ALS Therapy Development
Institute (ALSTDI), to team-gleason.org, or to the Shriners Hospital in Spokane.
No services are scheduled, as a Celebration of Life was previously held with close
friends and family.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Leigh Ann Nielson, please visit our floral store.