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Obituary for Carmen Louise Nukala
Carmen Louise Nukala, 71, of North Bend, passed away in Portland, Ore. on December 4, 2014. Carmen was born October 16, 1943 in Bremerton, Wash. to Dale and Jean Ehlers. She lived in Bremerton and Shelton, Wash. for the first 3 years of life. After her father was discharged from the Navy, the family moved to Cave Junction, OR and lived there for 13 years. The family then moved to Brookings, Ore. where Carmen graduated from Brookings-Harbor High School. She moved to Olympia, Wash. for business school, where she married and then moved to Oahu, HI while her husband served 2 terms in Vietnam. While living in Hawaii her daughter Candeance was born. After her husband was discharged they moved back to Brookings. She worked for 5 years at the Ship Ashore resort. Carmen eventually moved to Portland, Ore where she worked for the State while raising her daughter. Once her daughter was grown she moved to Coos Bay, Ore. where she worked with the Coquille Indian Tribe and then the North Bend Senior Center. Also, during her time in Coos Bay she took her great niece, Alyssa, into her care; she took great joy in raising her. Carmen spent her life taking care of many people in their time of crisis and illness. She gave of herself to many family and friends with all of her care and compassion. She is survived by her daughter Candeance Nukala and her partner Dennis, her niece Alyssa, sister and brother-in-law Nancy and Richard Westbrook of Smith River, CA her brother Brad Ehlers of Bend, OR. and his daughter Michelle, aunts, uncles and many cousins in Washington, California and North Dakota, and many dearly loved friends. She is preceded in death by her father and mother, her nephew Travis and several very beloved aunts and uncles. Memorial contributions may be made to a scholarship fund being established for Alyssa, c/o Nancy Westbrook at any Chase Bank branch or to the OHSU Knight Cancer Center, c/o OHSU Foundation, Mail Stop 45, PO Box 4000, Portland, OR 97208. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12:00pm on Thursday, December 11, 2014 at Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 820 Old County Road in Brookings. A luncheon will follow in the Parish Hall. Interment will follow the luncheon at WJ Ward Memorial Cemetery in Brookings. Condolences may be expressed online at www.redwoodmemorial.net. Redwood Memorial Chapel is assisting the family.
