Verlee (Johnson) NELSON

JOHNSON, NELSON, DEEN, WEIHMAN, WILLIAMSON, ROSSI, HALLSTROM, ROCK, WEIHMAN-ROCK, LUCERO, FOSS, PEDERSEN, BLOUNT

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 12/14/2012 at 18:53:34

January 11, 1914 --- November 26, 2012

LEXINGTON, KY - Verlee Johnson Nelson, Sayre Christian Village, Lexington, celebrated her own homecoming with the Lord Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. Verlee made friends wherever she was during her almost 99 years of living. She was born Jan. 11, 1914, in Shelby County, Iowa, the first of two children of Frank and Vera Deen Johnson. She graduated in 1934 from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, with a B.A. in education. She married Floyd Howard Nelson in 1934, and they were married for 61 years until his death in 1996. In the years after Floyd's graduation from Drake Theological Seminary, the Nelsons lived in Grinnell, and Rowan, Iowa; and Huntley, and Seward, Illinois, as Floyd served congregations. Finally settling in Rockford, Ill., Verlee taught second grade in county public schools for 20 years. Her greatest joy was being with her family and seeing the children grow through the years. After retirement, Verlee was a longtime volunteer at a Rockford nursing home and gave many hours helping others. She relocated to Kentucky in 1995. She was a lifetime Methodist and a member of Trinity Hill United Methodist Church in Lexington at the time of her death. Besides her beloved husband, Floyd, she was predeceased by brother, Keith and his wife, Bernice. Surviving her are four children, Vesta, wife of James Weihman of Surprise, Ariz., Della, wife of Dr. Gordon Williamson of Peoria, Ariz., Bruce, husband of Karen Rossi of Rockford and Janet, wife of Arthur Hallstrom of Lexington. Her grandchildren are Valerie Weihman-Rock and Lise Lucero, Wendy Foss, Gary Williamson and Jody Johnson, Kimberly and Todd Nelson, and Eric, Kristen and Anders Hallstrom. She was great-grandmother to Christopher and Brandon Pedersen, Brent Williamson, Parker and Mallory Johnson, Theodore Blount, Constance, Mackenzie, and Todd Jr. Nelson and Ellie Hallstrom. Surviving also are two great-great-grandchildren, Skyonna and Juda Blount. Always helping others when she could, she has donated her body for study to UK Sanders Brown Center and the UK medical college. A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. May God grant her eternal peace.

Rockford Register Star - Rockford, Illinois
November 29, 2012