Obituary: Sheila Nickerson

Sheila Nickerson, 84, of Bellingham, Washington, passed into the Great Beyond on Sept. 27, 2026, at her home.

Sheila Nickerson

She was born on April 14, 1942, to Charles and Mavis Bunker. Sheila attended the Eastwoods School in Oyster Bay, New York, and Chapin School in New York City. She selected Bryn Mawr College for her undergraduate degree as she believed it was the best education she could obtain at the time. She graduated in 1964 Sum Cum Laude. Education and the intellectual freedom that it provided was of utmost importance to Sheila. Later in life she earned a Ph.D. from the Union Institute. 

Sheila married Martinus (Martin) Hoffman Nickerson in 1964 in Oyster Bay, New York. They moved to Colorado so Martin could attend graduate school. Her children Helen and Thomas were born in Denver. In 1971 they moved to Juneau, Alaska. In 1974, son Samuel was born. Alaska inspired Sheila’s writing and she went on to publish over 17 books and appear in many magazines and anthologies. In 1977 she was appointed Alaska Poet Laureate. Her works spanned poetry, fiction and nonfiction with the recurring themes of the wilderness, wildlife and one’s place in it. She became very interested in Arctic exploration, as reflected by her works: "Midnight to the North: The untold story of the Inuit Woman Who Saved the Polaris Expedition" (Tarcher/Penquin Putnam, 2002) and "Harnessed to the Pole : Sledge Dogs in Service to American Explorers of the Arctic 1853-1909" ( University of Alaska Press, 2014).

Sheila developed many friends in Alaska who collaborated with her artistically. She wrote "Feast of the Animals: An Alaskan Bestiary Vol. 1" ( Old Harbor Press, 1987) with woodcuts by Dale DeArmond. Her poetry book "On Why the Quiltmaker Became a Dragon" was illustrated by Judy Cooper. The book was later turned into an opera.

She won the Pushcart Prize for poetry twice. Her great joy was to share her love of writing as the writer-in-residence for the Artists in School Program. She helped found the University Within Walls, an innovative educational system for incarcerated people in the state of Alaska. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game was lucky to have her as an editor of their magazine and communications officer. She was known for being fiercely independent and always doing the right thing. 

In 2001 she asked to participate in The Harriman Expedition Retraced. She was one of 24 participants and represented the literary arts.  In the lecture series she read, first, three of her poems about life in Juneau.    

She was preceded in death by her husband Martinus Nickerson and brother Sheffield Cantine Bunker. Her surviving family includes her children Helen, Thomas and Samuel; grandchildren India, Storm, Anna, Peter, Nina, Kira and Bode; great-granddaughters Griffin and Gisele; and sister Mavis Taintor. 

In her retirement from the State of Alaska, Sheila and Martin enjoyed their sailboat, the Monmoit, in the Caribbean and chose to settle in Bellingham, Washington. Their house was up the hill from the Alaska state ferry terminal, and they enjoyed seeing friends and family as they traveled around the world. She was well known for offering afternoon tea to anyone who needed it.  She became devoted to her rescued racehorses and many animal companions. 

In lieu of flowers please donate to a cause celebrating literacy such as The Friends of the Juneau Public Libraries (friendjpls.org). Sheila has planned an outdoor memorial for summer 2027; please contact her daughter if you are interested in attending.