Violet Lucille (Wilson) NELSON

NELSON, GARDNER, GERTSEN, ENGLAND, STEELE, WILSON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:47

April 19, 1928 ----- March 23, 2018

Sun City, AZ - Violet Lucille Nelson passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on Friday, March 23, 2018 in Sun City, Arizona. She was born in Williams, Iowa on April 19, 1928. She attended Eagle Grove High School in Eagle Grove, Iowa where she met her future husband Bill Nelson (whom she married following her high school graduation). After high school, Violet attended Iowa Teachers College, where she majored and earned a degree in Education. Violet was to have a long career as a teacher and educator. She began teaching immediately upon graduating from high school and was still working with students needing extra help with their reading skills when she was in her mid-seventies. Violet earned a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Arizona during her career and developed many innovative techniques for teaching young children how to read. Above all, Violet instilled a love of reading in the literally hundreds of young students that she taught over the years.

Violet's husband Bill also molded the lives of numerous young people during a career as a wrestling coach that began at the high school level and reached its pinnacle at the University of Arizona. Bill and Violet were married for 70 years. And from their marriage there are four children. In addition to being a mother to her own children, Violet was also a surrogate mother to the many high school and college wrestlers that Bill coached during his lengthy career. While Bill received many accolades as a wrestler and coach, Violet's unfailing support and enthusiasm behind the scenes made it all possible. She was an amazing wife, mother, sister, grandmother, mother-in-law and friend.

We will miss her more than words can say.

Violet was preceded in death by her husband Bill who passed in September 2017. She is survived by sisters Laurel Gardner and Sharolyn Gertsen; sons Bill and Bruce (Ellen); daughters Leanne England (Randy) and Lori Steele (Jeff); grandchildren Amy, Wendy, William, Richard, Glen, Margie, Randi Leigh, Haley and Ben; as well as great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Visitation will be held on Monday, April 2nd at 12:00 noon at United Methodist Church, 421 W. Broadway St., Eagle Grove, Iowa 50533 with funeral service to follow at 1:30 pm. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Daughters of the American Revolution of which Violet was a member.

Des Moines Register --- Des Moines, Iowa
March 28, 2018

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[daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Glen Wilson]