Donys L. Nelson

A Memorial Service for Donys L. Nelson of Roseau, MN will be held on Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 11:00AM at the First Baptist Church in Roseau, MN. Visitation will be held on Friday, August 24, 2018 from 6-8PM at Helgeson Funeral Home in Roseau, MN and also one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be held at a later date. 

Donys LaVerne Nelson was born on May 26, 1933, to Kenneth and Bertha (Tucker) Mudge in Selby, SD. She attended school in Selby through 11th grade. On October 29, 1950 Donys married Roy Nelson in Selby. They moved to Ironton, MN, where they built and ran the Lakeview Motel on Serpent Lake.

Donys and Roy moved to Roseau in 1973, where she was a homemaker and served as the bookkeeper for Nelson Trucking. They also lived in Oregon where she loved walking in the hills every day. They spent their winters in Alamo, TX. They loved traveling in their motorhome and bringing their family on trips with them.

Donys moved into Oak Crest Senior Housing in 2010. They treated her very well there. Her apartment overlooked the golf course and she loved to pick up stray golf balls for her grandkids. Many children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren always knew a visit to grandma’s house meant a game of Skip Bo.

She passed on her love of music to her grandkids. She had a beautiful voice and sang for many weddings, funerals, and special family events. Her very distinct laugh was loud and high-pitched which only emphasized her great wit and wonderful sense of humor. Donys loved to watch Wheel of Fortune and was a member of a bowling league for a time in Roseau. She was active in her church, leading Bible School, singing in the choir and serving as the superintendent for Sunday school. Donys was a prayer warrior; she loved the Lord and His Word. This was very evident in the way she lived her life and shared His teachings with her grandchildren and great- grandchildren.

Donys was surrounded by family when she went to meet her Savior on August 19, 2018, at the LifeCare Medical Center in Roseau, MN. She is survived by her children Brad (Maureen) Nelson of Aitkin, MN, Judy Nelson of Roseau, Cheryl (Mark) Bjorlie of Austin, MN, Kevin (Lori) Nelson of Roseau, and Gloria (Deland) Broten of Roseau; grandchildren Mike, Mark, Mary Lee, Angela, Cherise, Timothy, Thomas, Stacy, Anneliesse, Kari, Kyrsten, Jacob, Nicole, Joseph, and Joshua; 41 great-grandchildren, sisters Mary and Doris (her twin).

She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Lyle, sisters Evelyn and Florence, husband of 59 years, Roy; great-grandchild, Serenity Broten.

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