About the bloggers: Valerie J. Nelson

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Valerie J. Nelson spent a significant chunk of her childhood in Seattle, reading books and counting raindrops. In fifth grade, she decided to become a journalist, and her career has been a mix of writing and editing, mainly for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner (highlight: Style section editor) and The Times (a founding editor of Outdoors, deputy Home editor). Since 2005, she has crafted obituaries and especially enjoys telling the tales of lesser-known locals who otherwise might be lost to history.