EVERETT — Drew Nielsen’s roots are at Everett Community College, so members of the community thought it would be fitting to plant a permanent memorial for him on campus.
The late Everett city councilman will be honored at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday with a tree planting at the college’s Legacy Garden, located near the north entrance to the Gary Parks Student Union building.
Nielsen, 61, died May 12 in a rafting accident.
Along with a memorial tree, a stone will be placed in the garden.
“Drew was a student here as well and always spoke highly of the time he spent here,” said John Olson, a vice president in EvCC’s Office of College Advancement.
The tree selected is a mountain hemlock.
“Our campus gardener selected it because it’s a tree native to Washington and found at the headwaters of most of the mountain rivers,” Olson said. “We thought it was a nice connection to the outdoors that Drew enjoyed so much.”
Nielsen received an associate degree from Everett Community College in 1971 before attending the University of Washington, where he received his bachelor’s degree, and eventually graduated from law school.
His mother, Marjorie, was a student at the school, too, and worked at the college for 40 years.
Reporter Debra Smith: 425-339-3197 or dsmith@heraldnet.com
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