Obituary of Carol Irene Nelson

Carol Nelson (age 85) died at home on Friday, December 8, 2023 due to a ruptured aortic aneurysm, passing quickly and peacefully.

Carol Paul was born July 12, 1938, in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, the middle child of Irene and Carl Paul. As a child, the family moved between Minnesota and California before settling permanently in Minnesota. Upon graduation from Frazee High School, she left with a friend to find work in Minneapolis, where she met the love of her life, Jim Nelson, who at the time was serving in the army with Carol’s older brother, John, who introduced them. It was love at first sight and they married after a brief courtship in 1959.

Carol and Jim started their family right away, welcoming their first girl in 1960 and second girl fourteen months later while living in Minneapolis, then moving to Brooklyn Park, MN where they added a third girl. Carol loved babies and while three girls under the age of 5 were a handful, they decided to expand their family with Carol and Jim happily (Jim – ecstatically) welcoming two boys at their home in Somerset WI. They moved to Amery WI ten years later. Carol loved having a baby in her arms, so she offered home daycare from time-to-time to friends and later watched some of her grandbabies. Carol was truly at her happiest being a homemaker & caregiver - to her children, her husband who had significant health issues later in life and her grandchildren. Carol passed her love of cooking and baking from scratch to her children and her famous tacos were requested often. She had a gentle, caring, empathetic spirit and was willing to talk to family and friends at a moment’s notice. Carol and Jim celebrated their 40^th anniversary together in 1999; sadly Jim passed away later that year. Carol spent the next 24 years living on her own in Amery, Clayton and New Richmond before settling in Roberts, WI. Carol had a strong faith that kept her on a steady course, and she looked forward to seeing Jim again – hopefully they are holding hands and sending beaming shards of light to all whose lives they touched.

Carol was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jim, and her parents. She is survived by her children, Deb Nelson Gunderson (Jay), Kathy Nelson Mayer (Andrew), Patricia Henderson (Ted), Mike Nelson and Steve Nelson along with grandchildren - Jennifer, Joshua, Jordan and Mitchell and great-grandchildren – Ramona, Rosie, Sam, Lewis, Irma, Breccan, Liam, Rhys & Bryn, brother John, sister Mary, sisters-in-law Orie and Marlene and many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the Spring 2024.