Dorothy E. Nelson, 81, of Marseilles, passed away Thursday, April 19, 2018 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.
Funeral Services will be held at 11 am, Tuesday, April 24 at Ottawa Funeral Home with Rev. John Waugh officiating. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 am, prior to the services, at the funeral home. Burial will be in Oakwood Memorial Park.
Dorothy was born July 27, 1936 in Ottawa to Raymond and Josephine (Telfer) Brown. She married Delbert Nelson on August 8, 1954 at the First United Methodist Church in Ottawa.
Dorothy loved cooking and baking, especially kringla, “appie pie”, and her famous blueberry pies. She was an avid reader and enjoyed yard sales, going to the gambling boat, crossword puzzles, and planting flowers. She looked forward to Delbert cheating at gin rummy over coffee every morning. Dorothy loved spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren as well as the St. Patrick’s School Lunch Bunch.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Delbert; four daughters, Rebecca “Becky” (Steve) Smith of Marseilles, Lori (Sonny) Preci of Naplate, Dorothy Peterson of Marseilles, and Doreen Nelson of Ottawa; six grandchildren, Steven (Mary St. Aubin) Smith, Jennifer (Allan) Green, Emily (Caleb) Gander, Ashley Peterson, Jeremy (Holly Smith) Nelson, and Adam (Allie Galeucia) Nelson; and six great-grandchildren, Lilly, Grace, Xavier, Oakley, Liam Swen, and a grandson due in August.
She was preceded in death by her son, Delbert Swen Nelson; one granddaughter, Sarah Smith; and two sisters, Mary Telfer and Bertha Brewer.
Pallbearers will be her grandkids, Jennifer, Jeremy, Steven, Adam, Emily, Ashley, and Caleb, and Alex Villanueva. Honorary Pallbearers will be her great-grandkids, Grace, Xavier, Liam, Oakley, and Lilly.
Memorials may be directed to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Dorothy has been laid to rest in the Garden of the Ten Commandments.