Shirley Annette Nelson
RONAN — God answered Mom’s prayers, and guided her home, Thursday, Feb. 4, at St. Luke Hospital. She was 88 years old. Born March 15,1927, to Jay and Selma Mortensen in Lyle, Minnesota. She graduated Lyle High School in 1944 and attended Junior College in Austin, Minnesota.
In 1951 she married Junior Dale Nelson. They lived and farmed in the Vida community (Cow Creek area) until the fall of 1961 when they moved to Hot Springs. Mom worked for Sanders County General Hospital for seven years. From there they moved to Ronan in March of 1973, where she worked at St. Luke Hospital for 17 years, retiring in 1990. During retirement she volunteered at St. Luke Nursing Home and the Bread Basket. She also worked part-time at H&R Block for seven years. Mom enjoyed going to the Ronan Senior Center, playing bingo and seldom missed a game of cards with the family. She was not only our Mom; she was our best friend. Sundays will never be the same at “The Gathering Place” (Mom’s home). She will truly be missed.
Shirley’s husband; parents; brother-in-law, Richard Hollerud; sister, Marie Mortensen; brother, James Mortensen and nephew, Todd Hollerud all preceded her in death.
Survivors include her seven children: DeeAnn DesJarlais, David (Gail), Jayne, Daryl, Jody (David) Cooney, Jed, Scotty (Teresa); sister, Lois Hollerud of Plymouth, Minnesota; sister-in-law, Elaine Mortensen of El Paso, Texas; niece, Malia Haskins of Woodbury, Minnesota; and several cousins in Minnesota and Iowa. She was blessed with eighteen grandchildren, twenty-seven great- grandchildren and two great great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, Feb 10, 2016, at The Faith Lutheran Church in Ronan. A viewing will be at 10 a.m. and services will be at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow. Burial will take place at the Mountain View Cemetery.
