Madison House's Nellie Youngquist celebrates 103rd birthday

Nellie Youngquist didn’t want to make a big fuss for her birthday this year, but to those around her, turning 103 is a big deal.

Known around Madison House Retirement as a gal who’s “with it,” Youngquist enjoys numbers, her daily newspaper and going to her favorite hairdresser every week. She also loves basketball and lights up when asked about it. She recalled one of her favorite stories of when her grandfather paid a dollar to give her a season ticket rather than her brothers because of her excellent grades and Salutatorian status.

She was a devoted Sonics fan, and feels badly about them leaving Seattle. She now roots for the Portland Trailblazers.

She reminds others of what’s important in life: “Enjoy each day as it comes.”

Born Nov. 25, 1905 in Oklahoma, Youngquist and her family moved to Burlington, Wash. when she was 5. She was one of four children and went to Burlington High School. During her senior year she got a job wrapping coins at the local bank. Later, she married her coworker Gus Youngquist in 1927 and worked with him at the First National Bank before starting a family.

She had three children, losing her eldest son to tuberculosis meningitis when he was only 2, and has five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

Youngquist has been a widow since 1977 and moved to Kirkland this year to be closer to her family.

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