Nancy Arleen Mugaas Kono

Nancy Arleen Mugaas KONO Nancy passed away quietly at her home in Milton on May 18, 2011 after a brave battle against ovari an cancer. She was 58 years young at the time of her passing. Nancy was born on August 6, 1952 to Harriett (Elizabeth Hammer smith) & Elmer Mugaas in Yakima, WA. She spent her early years in Union Gap and Yakima, graduating from Yakima's Davis High School. Nancy continued her education at Central Washington University in Ellensburg where she received her undergraduate degree in Education. Nancy met Steve Kono while at Central and they married in 1976. Son Jason was born in 1981 and daughter Lizbeth in 1985. Nancy referred to her children as her greatest joy and best teachers. Nancy worked in parent educa tion at Highline College and Bates Technical College while further ing her education at the Universi ty of Puget Sound, earning a Masters Degree in Counseling. She became a child and family advocate for the Children's Home Society of Auburn. The family lived overseas in Saudi Arabia for about two years & Japan for over a year. Nancy greatly enjoyed travel, visiting Norway, Thailand, Cyprus, East Germany, S. Korea, and most recently Alaska and her mother's childhood home in Indiana. In recent years, Nancy's hobbies and aspirations included quilt making, photography and writing. She eagerly photo graphed all the beauty she saw in her life to accompany the memoirs she worked on writing. In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Re search at www.marsharivkin.org. Please share memories and thoughts with family and friends online at http://tinyurl.com/ nancy-m-kono and at a gathering for Nancy on Saturday June 4, 2011, 4:00 p.m. at Des Moines Activity Center (2045 South 216th St.). A reception will follow.