Jacob Bain Nelson, age 18, of Bainbridge Island, died Aug. 10 near Quilcene in Jefferson County.

He was born to Bruce and Susan Kerrigan Nelson on Nov. 6, 1984, in Boston, Mass., where he lived for the first six years of his life.

When his family moved to Bainbridge Island in 1990, he attended Wilkes Elementary School, Woodward Middle School and Hyla Middle School.

After attending the Lowell Whiteman School in Colorado, he returned to Bainbridge Island where he graduated from Bainbridge High School this past June.

He was an accomplished gymnast who competed at the national level, and taught gymnastics for the Bainbridge Island Park and Recreation District. He was also an expert wakeboarder, snowboarder and skateboarder.

He was a world traveler who did volunteer work with children in China and Nepal. He visited Mexico and numerous Caribbean Islands where he became a certified scuba diver. He had just returned home from a trip to Europe with his friends and family.

He was known for his personality and caring nature, his sparkling eyes and smile, and the ability to make everyone around him laugh.

He is survived by his mother Susan Kerrigan Nelson of Bainbridge Island; brother Zachary and sister Sophie Nelson; grandmothers Lena Kerrigan of Bainbridge Island and Dorothy Nelson of Providence, R.I.; aunts and uncles Pat Kerrigan, Sue and John Kerrigan of Bainbridge Island, Sheila and Robert Greenbaum of Providence, R.I., Deborah Nelson and James Pratt of Rockport, Mass.; cousins, Katrina and Haley Kerrigan of Bainbridge Island, Cara and Nicholas Pratt of Rockport, Mass., Todd and Wendy Greenbaum of Providence, R.I., and Stephanie Skultety of Tiverton, R.I.; and family friend Bryan Garoutte.

He was preceded in death by his father, Bruce Nelson, and grandfathers Jack Kerrigan and Walter Nelson.

A funeral service will at 1 p.m. Aug. 16 at Seabold Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to to the Jacob Bain Nelson Memorial Fund c/o Bainbridge High School, 9330 NE High School Road, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110.

Arrangements are under the direction of Kass Funeral Home, Bainbridge Island.