Phyllis J. Nelson

Phyllis Jean (Gilbery) Nelson passed away March 16, 2022 at age 90 in Moorhead.  She was born December 13, 1931 in Holy Cross Township to George and Bertha Gilbery.  She and her four siblings grew up on the Gilbery farm on the site of old Georgetown where the 1850s Hudson Bay warehouse stood.  Phyllis graduated from Moorhead High and Dakota Business College in Fargo.  She worked in the Meritcare Hospital business office for 21 years.

Phyllis married J. William Nelson on November 19, 1950.  Bill and Phyllis raised their three children on the Nelson family farm in the Oak Mound community west of Kragnes, where she lived independently until just a few months before her death.

She was active in the Oak Mound community, a member of North Buffalo Lutheran Church, an adult leader in the Oak Mound 4-H club, and the Acorn Homemakers club.  She enjoyed refinishing antiques, sewing, celebrating birthdays with the ladies in the Birthday Club, quilting with her friends at North Buffalo, caring for her pet cat and spending time with her grandchildren.  She was always kind, supportive, accepting, appreciative, happy, respectful, humble and generous.

She was preceded in death by her husband Bill, her daughter Marcia Skauge, her brothers and brothers-in-law James Gilbery, Glenn Gilbery, Ray Jacobsen and Ed Wright.  She is survived by her children Jim (Karin) Nelson of Brainerd, Nancy (Marc) Valenzuela of Kragnes, son-in-law Jim Skauge of Moorhead, grandchildren Molly, Megan, Anna, Jacob, Rachel, Mary, Kelsey and Joe, twelve great grandchildren, and by her sisters and sisters-in-law Mavis Jacobsen, Virginia Wright, Donna Gilbery and DeEtta Gilbery.

The family would like to give a special thank you to the staff and caregivers at Eventide in Moorhead.

A celebration of the life of Phyllis will be on Monday March 21 at 11:00 AM at North Buffalo Lutheran Church, Kragnes. Visitation will be on Sunday, March 20, from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., with a time for sharing at 5:00 p.m., at Wright Funeral Home, Moorhead. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials would be graciously appreciated to the Oak Mound Cemetery Association or the North Buffalo Church.