Elizabeth J. Nelson, 86
Published 9:59 am Thursday, January 19, 2012
Betty died peacefully at Mayo Clinic Health System-Austin on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, with her husband and children at her side.
Betty Nelson
She was born (Elizabeth Jane) June 23, 1925, to Walter and Eileen (Kinsley) Lutz. Betty graduated from St. Augustine (Pacelli) High School in 1945. She was united in marriage to Harley Nelson at Queen of Angels Catholic Church on Nov. 27, 1947. Together they raised nine children.
Homemaking kept her very busy and fostered her creative spirit. She could make a pound of hamburger into a gourmet meal or produce a pound of fudge for the Queen’s carnival on a moment’s notice. Betty enjoyed gardening and hanging clean laundry on her clothes line. Throughout her life she remained actively engaged in the Austin community and especially Queen of Angels Parish. She enjoyed lunches with high school friends from St. A’s class of ’45, and always had a smile and a kind word for everyone. She was adored by her 12 grandchildren.
Betty is survived by her husband of 64 years, Harley Nelson and eight children: Judi, Minneapolis, Dirk, Winona, Jeanne (Jim) Danneker, Winona, Harley, Jr. (Vicky Thompson), Bloomington, Jane (Brian) Gibart, Mt. Dora, Fla., Mary (John) Jondal, Sterling, Alaska, Terry (Roxanne), Austin, and Patti (Tom) dePoortere, Green Village, N.J.; sister, Evelyn Ring, New Hope; grandchildren: Kira, Jamey, Molly, Zachary, Patrick, Nicholas, Walter, Isaiah, Phillip, Andrew, Theresa, and Kevin; great-grandchildren: Madeline, Micah, Elizabeth, Samuel, Aubrey, Elsie, and Julian; and many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her son, Brice; parents; brothers, Wayne and LaVern Lutz.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, at Queen of Angels Catholic Church with Father Dale Tupper officiating. There will be a 4 p.m. CCW rosary and a 6:30 p.m. wake service on Friday at Mayer Funeral Home where friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. The family will also greet friends at a luncheon following the service at the church on Saturday. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery.