I only met Lavone Newell-Reim once, but after immersing myself in the new show at the Skagit County Historical Museum, she feels like an old friend.

“Lavone Newell-Reim: A Life Well Lived” traces Newell-Reim’s journey from Kansas to Sauk Mountain and then, over the course of her 90 years, down the Skagit River to its mouth near Fir Island.

Along the way, her talents and interests, passion for life, art and cooking and knack for building community are celebrated.

Tougher moments are also included. Riding across the country sitting atop a 1939 Chevy her father had turned into a pickup w...