Jean Amick, long time resident, recipient of several City Good Neighbor Awards and one of the co-chairs of SUN Park passed on Novemer 18th. She lived on the Boulevard with her husband, Russ. And her daughter, Christi Nagle, lived a few houses away, with her family.
In March 2007, Jean became involved in saving a piece of land from development on the corner lot at NE 47th Street and 47th Avenue NE. She and a group of Laurelhurst neighbors and friends, through donations to the Cascade Land Conservancy, purchased the corner. She and Dixie Park were co-chairs for the Sun Park Committee.
Originally there was a large 1920's Bungalow style house on this corner property. A developer divided the lot in three parcels and 2 houses were built on 2 of the lots. The Sun Park folks, along with many in the community, attended a meeting along with City representatives, to save the third parcel from being developed. And it was turned it into a beautiful pocket park called Saving Urban Nature (SUN).
The "Mulch Bunch" of neighborhood volunteers (as Jean Amick called them) still regularly have Saturday morning work parties sprucing up Sun Park.
Jean was involved in numerous neighborhood projects over many decades. She worked on the installation of cameras at "Five Points" - the busy intersection of Mary Gates Memorial Drive NE, NE 45th Street, NE 45th Place and Union Bay Place NE. In August of 2008, three cameras were installed at "Five Points" after the Laurelhurst Community Club voted unanimously to support neighbors requests as well as more than 400 petition signatures, In 2011, the lights were removed. In 2013 the law was changed to two arterials only.
In 2017, a small working group of concerned North Seattle neighbors, including Jean, worked worked with the 520 Bridge Project Team on the issue of the overly bright SR520 bridge lights and solutions on dimming them. In 2019, LCC trustee McAleer and former trustee Jean Amick attended the results presentation in February.
In 2021, Laurelhurst Community Club recognized Jean, and several other neighbors at its Annual meeting. LCC wrote in a newsletter:
Jean exemplifies a great neighbor as she cruises the streets on her bike spreading cheer by sharing a smile, dropping off a bouquet of flowers, sharing an archived newspaper article, or snaring you into joining her to “Weed and Sweep” at SUN Park. Jean championed the park’s vision by bringing neighbors together to purchase the land and transform it into a beautiful green space for all ages to experience. Jean is also an avid birder and provides colorful habitat for local and rare bird species that frequent her sidewalk garden.
Here is what one neighbor said about Jean:
Jean Amick was our passionate neighborhood leader. Jean and her husband, Russ, raised their family here.
She was a big supporter of our public schools and responsible for SUN Park along with her pal Dixie Porter.
She was still riding her bike around the neighborhood months ago as she usually did. Jean was a member of the Laurelhurst Beach Club Fattie Flee, an avid group of lake swimmer.
We looked forward to the Amick’s Ice Cream Social on Webster Pt. every summer. “You bring the toppings!"
Jean had a renown sense of humor with twinkling blue eyes, and was not shy to ask neighbors to do the duty!
Jean had attended a neighborhood meeting just a short time before she headed to the Poconos, her favorite place to spend time all her life, even to the end, surrounded by family.She will be terribly missed!
Another neighbor wrote:
Our dearest Jean Amick died on Thursday surrounded by family. She was such an amazing woman! I am so saddened by this news. May she Rest In Peace.
Here is information posted on the Laurelhurst Community Club website about Sun Park:
donamick@gmail.comHistory of SUN (Saving Urban Nature) Park
SUN stands for Saving Urban Nature. In 2007 SUN was the vision created by Jean Amick and Dixie Jo Porter through the purchase of a small city corner lot from a developer who planned to replace one old original farmhouse and its remaining orchard with three large new homes.
Funded in part by a $15,000 neighborhood grant, neighbors and community members participated in a design process –as well as tireless fundraising – from which a unique native plant garden was designed and built. In need of an “official” overseer, the property was deeded through an agreement with the Cascade Land Conservancy, then renamed Forterra, with the hope that SUN Park would become acquired by Seattle Parks and Recreation at some point in the future.
In August 2019, Friends of SUN Park gifted this beautiful green space to Seattle Parks and Recreation. In addition, a significant maintenance fund raised by SUN volunteers over the years was turned over to Parks for the purpose of future acquisitions. Friends of SUN Park works closely with Parks to ensure its continued care and enjoyment for all.
scott.amick@gmail.com
betsy@floytag.com
christynagle@yahoo.com
(photo courtesy of Twitter)
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