Craig NIELSEN

NIELSEN, Craig (Age 68) Craig Nielsen, of Spokane, passed away while vacationing in Mexico on November 21, 2015. Born in Dayton, Ohio, to Morris and Eleanor Nielsen, Craig was the youngest of three sons. He excelled in music, playing bassoon in the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra while in high school and attending Interlochen Music Camp. He graduated from The Ohio State University in 1970 from the College of Pharmacy, and his education and drive led him to a career pioneering healthcare computer systems. Craig moved to the Spokane area in 1978 and worked for Empire Health Services, Inland Northwest Health Services, and Kootenai Health spanning 37 years. After developing an integrated pharmacy system for Deaconess Hospital in the early 80's, he directed the design and implementation of a technology platform that resulted in a Regional Electronic Health Record system that linked 30 hospitals across Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. This platform became a model that received national recognition and became the blueprint for many of the electronic health networks in place today. Craig enjoyed his work and remained active with his teams even as he faced terminal lung cancer. Craig was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed biking, paddling, skiing, camping, backpacking, and birding. He encouraged the best out of those around him and was always planning a trip, or ride, or hike for he and friends to embark upon. He traveled extensively in his final years and was very proud to have visited all 50 states in our nation, traveling to the last state-Hawaii-while honeymooning in 2014. Never one to back down from adventure, he included zip lines, high-altitude biking, and whitewater rapids into his vacations. He carried his bird identification books on his trips, documenting his many finds. Craig was active in the Spokane cycling community and participated in many biking events with friends, following his rides with a microbrew to celebrate. He participated in nearly every Bloomsday race since 1991, completing his first while running with his kids, and his last while pushing his grandchildren in their strollers. Craig and Therese Wittman found tremendous love, joy, and companionship together. Together, they traveled the world, paddled northwest rivers, hiked and biked throughout the region, spent time with their many friends, and made it back home in time for the symphony. Craig's life was a model of hard work, generosity, humor, and friendship. He will be greatly missed, and the world seems so still now without his extraordinary energy. Craig is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife Therese (Wittman) Nielsen; brothers Walt (Karen) Nielsen and Dave Nielsen (Nadine Shank); children Brent (Julie) Nielsen and Heather (Billy) Harrington; four grandchildren; nieces and nephews. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and took full advantage of his final time to enjoy his family and friends. He stayed strong and active until the very end, fulfilling his motto to "Keep Moving!" A tribute to Craig's remarkable life will be held at Chateau Rive on January 9, 2016 from 1:30 to 5 pm. In lieu of flowers, charitable gifts in Craig's memory may be made to the Spokane Symphony, Audubon Society, Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club, Spokane Nordic.