On a snowy evening 50 years ago, Jan.10, 1976, Neil and Susan (Wark) Amondson began a life together in Morton.
Raised in the eastern Lewis County logging communities of Kosmos and Morton, their early years were shaped by small-town values, outdoor adventure and deep community ties. Those beginnings grew into a lifetime of shared experiences that continue to keep them active and engaged in new challenges.
Neil and Susan are the proud parents of two children: Christy Webster, a nurse practitioner in Tacoma, and Mark Amondson, a landscaper in Holland, Michigan. They treasure time with their granddaughter, Lucy, and son-in-law, Randy Webster, of Olympia.
Their story has a unique beginning. In 1954, Susan’s father, Dr. J. Arnold Wark, co-owner of Morton Hospital, delivered Neil at birth — years before becoming his future father-in-law.
Both Neil and Susan graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma and began raising their family in Centralia.
Susan built a distinguished nursing career and continues to serve as a resource nurse at Eisenhower Medical Center in Southern California. An avid trekker, she set a world record at age 54 and has climbed to Everest Base Camp, Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Rainier. Most recently, she completed the 500-plus-mile Camino de Santiago.
Neil’s path led from high-climbing roots tied to the Morton Loggers Jubilee to public service, representing Southwest Washington in the Washington state House and Senate from 1987 to 1994.
His career later included private development of Liberty Plaza in Chehalis and management of the Winlock Industrial Park. An avid sportsman, Neil now shares stories of life and adventure through his podcast, Up a Creek with Neil.
Today, Neil and Susan reside in Central Oregon and winter in Southern California, grateful for 50 years of marriage grounded in faith, family, perseverance and shared purpose.
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