Virginia Fernlund (Woolever) NELSON

FERNLUND, WOOLEVER, NELSON, SCHREIBER, NELSON-SCHREIBER, SAVAGE, SALGADO, LEGG, MILLER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/1/2013 at 20:40:18

October 20, 1915 --- June 29, 2012

Virginia Fernlund (Woolever) Nelson dies at 96

Virginia Fernlund (Woolever) Nelson, age 96, formerly of Nashua, died June 29, 2012 in Marshfield, Wisconsin where she resided for the past 10 years. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012 at the United Methodist Church in Nashua. Her ashes will be interred at Norway Lake Cemetery near Goldfield, Iowa. Memorials may be given in her name to the scholarship fund of P.E.O. Chapter EN.

Virginia (Ginny), the oldest of five children, was born October 20, 1915 to Earl and Esther (Fernlund) Woolever in Hampton, Iowa. She grew up in Iowa and Colorado, graduating from Valley Junction High (IA) in 1933. As a young woman, she worked as an executive secretary for Aetna Insurance Company in Des Moines. During this time, a mutual friend introduced her to Albin (Doc) Nelson. They were married at his parent's farm near Goldfield, Iowa on March 20, 1942. While Al finished his veterinarian degree, they lived in Ames, moving to Gravity and Iowa Falls before settling in Nashua in 1945. During their 62 years of marriage, they enjoyed ‘dream hill’ together, walking the woods, fishing, camping, and traveling throughout the United States, Canada, Norway and Africa.

Ginny was a stay-at-home mom, whose life centered on her family and friends. She was a loving and caring soul, welcoming all with open arms into her home - her table spread with amazing home-made dishes, ingredients which often came directly from her vegetable garden and centerpieces from her flower gardens.

She was a member of P.E.O., the Order of Eastern Star, R.E.S.T., United Methodist Women, and a civic leader in her community and state. Over her life-time she remained interested in current events, serving as a delegate to state political conventions and never missing an opportunity to vote. True to her nature, she provided leadership with love and always by her sterling example.

Virginia is survived by her children: A. James (Susan) Nelson of Orono, MN; Linda (Donald) Nelson-Schreiber of Marshfield, WI; Richard (Rita) Nelson of Bettendorf; by her grandchildren: Aaron (Angela) Nelson of Plymouth, Minn; Shane Nelson of Northfield, Minn; Nathan (Catherine Savage) of Sunnyvale, Calif; Nick Schreiber of River Falls, Wis; Liana Schreiber of Minneapolis, Minn; Andrew (Melissa Salgado) Nelson of Tinton Falls, N.J.; Meredith (Ryan) Legg of Troy, NY; Adrienne Nelson of Ames; by her great-grandchildren: Aidan, Olivia, Evelyn, Elise, Liara; and by her sister, Alice Miller of Ill. She was preceded in death by her husband Albin in 2004, and her brothers Frank, Russell and Earl Woolever.

New Hampton - Chickasaw County Tribune - Iowa
October 8, 2012