Viola Nelson

Viola Nelson, 103, of Duluth, MN, formerly of Grand Marais, MN, and Wenona, IL, died Sunday, January 14, 2018 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth.

Viola was born August 7, 1914, the first of two children, to Bernard and Florence (Flesburg) Crone in Wenona.  She graduated from Wenona High School and Illinois State University in Normal with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She was an elementary and remedial reading teacher in Wenona, Leaf River, Benson and Minonk-Dana-Rutland public schools, all in Illinois, for 25 years. She and Carl J. Nelson, also a teacher, were married October 10, 1942 and to this union were born two sons, Wayne (Mary Mathews) of Duluth and Donald (Mary Jo) of Ft. Myers, FL.

After Carl and Vi’s retirement in 1974, they moved to Grand Marais. She moved to Duluth in 2003 following his death.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; one sister Eleanor (James) Winter; sister-in-law Lillian Nelson; two brothers-in-law, James Winter and Maurice Lindvall.

She is survived by her two sons and their wives; three grandchildren, Julie (Trent) Helland, Lake St. Louis, MO; Scott (Stephanie) Nelson, St. Charles, MO; Todd (Stacy Reuter) Nelson, Lake Ozark, MO; sister-in-law, Marian (Nelson) Lindvall, of Denver, CO; two nieces, Janice (Gale) Miller of Denver and Anita (Curtis) Addicks of Bloomington, IL; one nephew Robert (Marcia) Winter of Taylor Ridge, IL; 12 great grandchildren; one great-great granddaughter; five great nieces and five great nephews.

A memorial service will be scheduled this spring at Bethany Lutheran Church in Wenona.

Memorial gifts can be made to Bethany Lutheran Church, First Congregational UCC in Grand Marais, or any child welfare charity of the donor’s choosing.