Nelson Rene Rios

Nelson Rene Recart Rios passed away peacefully on May 6, 2025, in Bellingham, Washington, at the age of 84. Born in the Borough of Manhattan, New York City, to Louise Vossaert and Justo Recart, Nelson spent much of his youth in Tampa, Florida, where he first discovered a lifelong love of sailing – perched on a pier, resting his feet on the hulls of docked sailboats.

Nelson’s passion for the sea followed him throughout his life. He owned and sailed three cherished boats: Emeraude, a 19-foot Flying Scot Jr. he kept in McLean, Virginia; Aestival, a 36-foot Cheoy Lee he sailed in Chesapeake Bay, trucked to California, and sailed in San Francisco Bay; and Bel Esprit, a Hood 38 purchased in Clearwater, Florida. With Bel Esprit, he made an unforgettable summer-long voyage through the Gulf of Mexico and up the Atlantic coast to the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, accompanied by his wife, son, and daughter.

Nelson studied geology at the University of South Florida, but his calling led him to a life of service and advocacy. He devoted his life to helping others, especially those who were poor, marginalized, or in need of a voice. In the 1960s, he joined Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), a federal anti-poverty program dedicated to strengthening communities. In 1970, he became a director of a Community Action Program (CAP) in Florida, serving Clay, Union, Bradford, and Baker Counties by delivering resources to empower low-income families.

He applied his commitment to justice and equity across the country at national, state, and local levels. He worked as the administrator for the Office of Legal Services in Washington, D.C. Recruited by the California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) program in San Francisco in 1975, he supported migrant farmworkers; later, he returned to Washington, D.C. to help incarcerated individuals rebuild their lives through the Regional Addiction Prevention (RAP) program. Finally, for the last two decades of his career, Nelson worked in Arlington County, Virginia, as the multicultural outreach coordinator for the county, tirelessly advocating for the underserved and underrepresented.

Later in life, Nelson discovered the San Juan Islands in Washington, a place that spoke deeply to his love of nature and solitude. He and his wife bought property on Orcas Island and Nelson spent the better part of two decades building a custom timber-frame home – pouring himself into every phase of the design and construction. It became a true labor of love, a reflection of his enduring spirit, vision, and hands-on dedication.

He was preceded in death by his twin brother, his mother, Louise Vossaert Rios, his father, William Rios, his natural father, Justo Recart, his sister, Cecilia Perez, and his brother, Alfred Rios. His passions for sailing, aviation, racing, animals, learning, and dreaming will live on in his two children, Jennifer Leigh Rios and Jason Kapp Rios, and his four grandchildren, William Michael Sheehan, Rory Joseph Sheehan, Abigail Louise Rios, and Jackson Kapp Rios.

Nelson will be remembered as having a deep compassion for the underdog, a steadfast commitment to justice, and an unwavering belief in social equity. He was a volunteer, civil rights activist, civil servant, self-taught scholar, writer, and, at times, inside agitator. Nelson was guided by a simple, profound conviction: that every person is worthy, and that we are here to lift one another up.

A celebration of Nelson’s life will be held in early August 2025 at his home on Orcas Island, Washington. All who knew him are welcome to attend and honor his memory. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his name to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), an organization that reflects the values Nelson lived by.