Gloria Kay Nelson

Gloria "Kay" Nelson, of Port Orchard WA died at Harrison Medical Center, surrounded by her family after a quick but hard fought battle with metastatic colon cancer. She was 77 years old.

The oldest and only daughter of Harold and Dorothy Knutsen, formerly of Port Orchard, she was born in Yankton, South Dakota, June 24, 1939. Kay moved with her family at a young age to Kankakee Illinois where she and Chriss met at Kankakee High and fell in love. They married August 1, 1959.

In March 1970, she and Chriss moved their family to Washington to join her parents there. One of her greatest pleasures was driving a school bus for South Kitsap School District. She retired in 2005 after 16 years.

Kay is survived by the love of her life, Chriss Nelson, five of their six children, Deborah (Ken) Nelson of Port Orchard, Katheryn (Robert) Higgins of Port Orchard, Michael (Tami) Nelson of Port Orchard, Steven (Amy Martin) Nelson of Camano Island, Lisa (Derrek) Busha of Port Orchard, 17 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and her brother Lance (Sara) Knutsen of Daytona Beach, Florida.

Kay is preceded in death by her parents, one child, two of her brothers, Michael (Roberta) Knutsen of Port Orchard and Gary (Tammi) Knutsen of Bend Oregon.