Nellie G. Evenson, 92, of Rochester, Minn., formerly of Lyle, Minn., died at Season’s Hospice Care Center on Monday, Sept. 10, 2012.

Nellie was born on June 10, 1920, to Harry A. Tilley and Erma (Rose) Tilley in Churdan, Iowa. She spent childhood years in Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri. She married Herman E. Evenson of Lyle on April 18, 1942, and lived on the family farm northwest of Lyle.

Nellie began her 30-plus year career in the bridal business there as owner of Evenson Bridal Shop of Lyle. She created and sewed hundreds of bridal gowns, made beautiful wedding cakes and coordinated the fresh bridal bouquets. Later she opened her own retail bridal shop stocking gowns she purchased on trips to Chicago and New York City. She found great joy in working with each and every bride. She sold Evenson Bridal Shop when she retired in 1980. The business moved to St. Ansgar, Iowa, and is still thriving.

Her hobbies included oil painting, crocheting, quilting, stained glass and anything new she could learn. She especially loved her card playing and was still active up to a few weeks ago in the Rochester Duplicate Bridge Club. She loved to travel, and took several trips to Hawaii and a long excursion through Europe. She spent 25 years as a “snowbird” having a second home in the “tip of Texas,” where she enjoyed golf, dancing and many activities.

She always enjoyed “family” time and making time for friends. She was witty and enjoyed humor in her life. She had become an active reader and enjoyed keeping up with local and world events. She was a loyal Minnesota Twins fan.

She is survived by one daughter, Kay (Evenson) Strouf of Rochester; two sons, Gary Evenson of Chandler, Ariz., and Roger Evenson of Delafield, Wis.; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 103 Pershing St., on Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, with Pastor Barbara Finley-Shea officiating. Burial will be at Six Mile Grove Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 13 at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary, 209 Second Ave. NW in Austin, Minn., and at the church for one hour before the service on Friday.