Obituary of Mary Nelson

 

Mary Rebecca Archer Nelson 

April 23, 1934 – May 26, 2021 

 

Mary was a beloved wife, mom, grandmother, sister, daughter, aunt and friend to all who knew her.  She was unfailingly kind and welcoming to everyone she met. She lived her life with a calm grace and a strong faith in God. 

Mary grew up in Finley, N.D., with her parents, Babe and Gladys Archer, and her younger sister, Doris.  One day, her daddy decided to sell his businesses in town, and the house too, and move out of Finley because, in his opinion, there were no good marriage prospects in town for his two daughters. 

The family moved to Minneapolis in 1947 when Mary was in Junior High. She met Lee Nelson in the 10th grade at Washburn High School. She went on to graduate from Macalester College in St. Paul and to earn her teaching certificate from the esteemed Miss Wood’s Primary Training School. Mary taught first grade at Riverside Elementary in Bloomington for five years.  During that time she married Lee on June 25, 1955.   

Mary and Lee had their first child in August 1962, Kay.  Their son, Reed, came along four years later. 

In addition to being a devoted wife, and mom, Mary volunteered for many years at Messiah Lutheran Church in various capacities.  She also enjoyed volunteering at the Augustana Thrift Shop, which Grandma Nelson affectionately called the “Oval Room,” a reference to Dayton’s Department Store. 

Mary was a member of a women's philanthropical education organization, PEO. 

As her children grew older Mary started Green Sign Sales, a moving and estate sale business. She also created the Friendly Frog Shop at the Nelson cabin on Gun Lake, where people from around the lake could come and gather, eat, and shop. 

Besides spending time at the lake, Mary and Lee also had a cozy home in Blue Earth, Minn., where they could spend time with their daughter, Kay, son-in-law, Scott, and their grandkids as they were growing up.  Charlie, Brian, and Rachel knew how to make grandma and grandpa’s day just by stopping by their house for a visit. Neighbors and church members became dear friends of Lee and Mary, along with the Blue Earth early morning breakfast group at McDonalds. 

In their retirement years, Mary and Lee spent their winters in Florida and were very involved at Bethel Lutheran Church in Clearwater. Their marriage was described by a friend as a “beautiful tapestry that we have all been blessed to be threads woven into.  Mary and Lee were the weavers that added us all to the fabric of their lives while living out the love of Christ.” 

Her husband, children, grandchildren, and friends were most important to Mary. She was a constant companion to Lee for 65 years of marriage.  

Mary passed away on May 26, 2021, in Minnetonka, Minn., at the age of 87. She suffered from normal pressure hydrocephalus, a brain disorder in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain’s ventricles. 

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur (Babe) and Gladys Archer, and her husband Lee Stuart Nelson. Survived by her children Reed (Kelli) Nelson, and Kay (Scott) Nemanic; grandchildren Charles (Wendy) Nemanic, Brian (Deborah) Nemanic, and Rachel Nemanic; great-grandchildren, Tyler and Miranda Long; sister Doris Nelson; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. 

A combined Celebration of Life service for Lee and Mary will be held on August 28th at The Well, a United Methodist Church:  14770 Canada Avenue West, Rosemount, MN 55068  

Service will be video recorded for those not able to attend.   

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Visitation 
11:00 a.m. – 12 p.m. Service 
12 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Luncheon 

Memorial Gifts to either: 
Bethel Lutheran Church 411 Main St. Palisade, MN 56469 
Bethel Lutheran Church 3166 McMullen Booth Road Clearwater, Florida 33761