Erma G Nelson

Erma G. Nelson, age 88, formerly of Sun City West, AZ passed away on Friday, January 7, 2005, at the Mankato House Health Care Center.

Memorial service 11:30 a.m., Saturday, January 15, 2005 at Hosanna Lutheran Church, Mankato, Minnesota. Memorials preferred in lieu of flowers. Mankato Mortuary in charge of arrangements.

Erma was born on January 5, 1917 to George and Jessie Carper in Emerson, Nebraska. She graduated from Madison, S.D. High School and Eastern State Teachers College, Madison, SD. She married Donald Nelson on April 12, 1941. They lived in several Midwest locations but considered St. Cloud home for 23 years and then retired to Sun City West, AZ.

Erma worked in a variety of occupations. She taught in a one room school house, sold Tupperware, was a house mother at the St Cloud School of Nursing; owned the Nursery Photo Service for the St. Cloud Hospital, and owned and operated college rental property. Retirement allowed Erma and Don to travel extensively. They had several trips to Alaska to fish for halibut and salmon and visit relatives.

She is survived by daughters Donna (Steve) Oakey, Mankato, MN; Mary Kae Nelson, Milwaukee, WI; Patti (David) Phillipps, River Falls, WI. Grandchildren, Brad (Abby) Oakey, Bitberg, Germany; Jeff Oakey, Boulder, CO; Michael Chrisafis, Santa Cruz, CA; Nicole Chrisafis, Boulder, CO; Weston Phillipps, Saukville, WI; Maggie Phillipps, River Falls, WI. Great granddaughter, Camellia Chrisafis; Boulder, CO. Sisters, Dorothy (Robert) Schnell, Sun City, AZ; Orva (Warren) Anderson, Madison, SD; sister in-law Harriet Carper, Rutland, SD; and many extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald O. Nelson in 2002; son, Douglas D. Nelson in 2000; 2 sisters and 2 brothers.