Neva Leed passed away peacefully on February 4, 2021, in Burlington Washington, with family by her side.

Neva Therese Aarstad was born in 1932 to Alice and Nick Aarstad in their home outside of Burlington. Despite being an only child, she had the blessing of growing up surrounded by many aunts, uncles and cousins. Neva attended elementary school at Olympia Marsh and Burlington and high school at Burlington-Edison High. During the summer before her senior year, she traveled to Norway with her parents and her Uncle Joe & Aunt Anna Aarstad and their youngest daughter, her cousin Audrey. This trip was one of the highlights of her life, allowing her to forge lifelong friendships with many relatives.

After earning her teaching degree at Western Washington College in 1953 she married William (Bill) Leed and moved to Parkland Washington where she taught school while he finished his studies at PLU. After he graduated, they moved to St. Paul Minnesota where she taught while he attended Luther Seminary, followed by time spent in Madison Wisconsin where Bill completed his internship.

Neva and Bill lived in Minnesota, Idaho, and Washington, where Bill served during his career as a Lutheran minister. They settled back in Burlington for their retirement on the same property where Neva grew up. Neva was once again surrounded by many relatives and former classmates, whose company she enjoyed immensely.

Neva was blessed with a green thumb and enjoyed nurturing the beautiful grounds of her home as well as raising and propagating African Violets, which she often gifted to family and friends. She also enjoyed music, the theater and Norwegian arts and culture. But most of all, she enjoyed her church family at Edison Lutheran Church, which she missed very much over the last year.

Neva was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Bill. She is survived by her children, Mark Leed of Vancouver and Kristi Guin (John) of Bellevue as well as her sister-in-law Barbara Keyt of Shelton, and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will take place at Bow Cemetery on Saturday, February 27, 2021 at 1:00pm, with a larger Celebration of Life planned for a future date. Memorial donations may be made to Edison Lutheran Church or Skagit Habitat for Humanity.