Covenant News

Memorial Service Saturday for Inez Wessman Nyquist

SEATTLE, WA (July 22, 2004) - A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Crista Senior Community's King's Chapel for Inez (Wessman) Nyquist, widow of former Covenant pastor Theodore Nyquist, who died Wednesday morning.

The 91-year-old Nyquist was born on August 25, 1912, in Marathon, Minnesota, one of eight children (including seven brothers). She graduated from Cokato High School and completed some college courses before she married Theodore Nyquist, then a Covenant pastor, on March 12, 1932, in Stockholm, Minnesota. The two had met while Theodore was at Minnehaha Academy (then Bible Institute), where he was completing high school. Theodore and Inez' brother, Vern, were part of a singing group called The Sunshine Trio.

Theodore Nyquist served in pastorates in Minnesota, California, Washington, Colorado and Oregon before retiring from active ministry in 1969. In a biographical sketch on Theodore written by the family following his death in 1999, it was noted that Inez had an important ministry as a pastor's wife as "her rural and religious roots would serve as a perfect compliment..."

She took pride in being a pastor's wife, mother and youth worker during her husband's four decades of ministry, said family members. Her son, Dwight, noted in her obituary that "in her trails she left many good friends and precious memories."

During early retirement years in Gresham, Oregon, Inez worked as a food service supervisor for 13 years in a local hospital. The couple also enjoyed time in Seattle, Desert Springs, California, and Bend, Oregon. Later, health issues made it necessary for the Nyquists to move to Washington to be near family. Ted was admitted to Crista Senior Community before he died on April 12, 1999. Inez lived in Crista until her death.

Nyquist is survived by three children: Dwight, Donovan and Robert and their families, which include 18 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She is also survived by a brother, Willis Wessman. Her husband and a son, William, preceded her in death.

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