Audrey Nelson

Audrey Nelson, 85, of Moorhead, died unexpectedly of heart disease on Saturday, March 5, 2016.

Audrey Arlene Anderson was born September 14, 1930, to John and Annie Johnson Anderson, in Buffalo, ND. She graduated from Fargo Central High School in 1948. She met her future husband, A. James Nelson, at a dance at the Crystal Ballroom, and they were married on March, 20, 1949 in Fargo. They kept their dancing shoes on throughout their entire married life. Audrey worked at Rosewood on Broadway in Fargo as a nurse assistant and at the Moorhead Holiday Inn in housekeeping.

Audrey always had a big smile, warm hugs and a kiss for you whether you wanted a kiss or not. Her optimistic, upbeat nature was needed when she lost most of her eyesight in the early 1980’s. She never complained about her disabilities. She just channeled her energy into knitting and crocheting, which she learned after the loss of her vision. She made numerous afghans for every birth and wedding in the family, and also numerous prayer shawls for Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, right up until the day she died. “Audrey, you are a second mother to me”, was a phrase that we heard all the time from cousins, nieces and nephews. She was a grandmother figure to many.

You could always count on her for a pinochle or hand and foot game. In addition, she liked to play games on her Ipad. She had her daily routine which included walking in the halls, word search, electronic books, T.V. program Days of Our Lives, and Dr. Phil. If you called between 11 and 12 on Sunday morning, she would not answer. Her church service was on T.V. at that time.

Kind, gentle, family oriented, warm, and about any other superlative word that can be thought of was Audrey. Nobody ever said anything bad about her nor did she say anything bad about other people. If she had a negative thought, it was a private thought, never to be spoken.

She is survived by her children, Paul Jacqie Nelson, Westminster, CO, Sharon Larry Strande, Fargo, Sandy Nelson Keith Knutson, West Fargo; her brother, Donald Lynn Anderson, Eugene, OR; grandchildren, Luke Nelson, Christopher Turner Anthony, Travis Jill Jackson, Seth Stephanie Jackson, Joshua Jackson Mandy Sherbrooke, Lexi Jackson Zane Zieman, Levi, Aaron, Amber Nelson and Jessica VanCleave; great-grandchildren, Zachary, Alex and Emmajene Turner, Jonathan and Kyla Jackson, Madisyn Jackson, Elyse Jackson and Braylin Zieman, sister-in-law, Betty Nelson, Bloomington, MN; step-grandchildren, Tammy Tom Miller, Minnetrista, MN, Michelle Bryce Sowitch, Fort Collins, CO, and step-great-grandchildren Emily and Zachary Miller and Elle and Bryce Jr. Sowitch.

She was preceded in death by her husband, daughters Beverly Nelson and Eileen VanCleave, beloved grandson Taylor Jackson, son-in-laws Mark Jackson and Leroy VanCleave, brother John Anderson and sisters Doris Wichael and Shirley Smead.

May God bless the memory of Audrey Nelson, beloved “mom and grandma and friend” to many.