Lorrie Jeanne Nelson

life story

A beloved daughter, sister, mother and grandmother.

Some of her many quotes from her faith. He holds me in his arms. My God, he guides me.

Lorrie’s life…

Lorrie Jeanne Wilkinson Nelson was born in Clear Lake, South Dakota on 4/08/1940. She passed away on 8/14/2025 after a sudden illness.

She was one of 10 children of Lloyd and Marion Wilkinson. Preceded in death by her parents and all 9 brothers and sisters Donna, Lloyd Jr, Molly, Gloria, Bonnie, Peggy, Cheri, Edith and George.

She is survived by her children, Brenda Nelson (fiancée Kenny Carroll), Shelly Nelson and Danny Nelson (Missy Nelson), grandchildren: Danielle Noll (Kevin), Josie Nelson, Olivia Nelson and Wyatt Nelson.

She grew up on farms in South Dakota, except for a year at the age of 6 in Soquel, California. She remembers the elementary school was so crowded that they attended in shifts. Being from a poor family, her mother cooked pancakes for lunches rolled up with homemade jam. Other children thought it was a special lunch and traded their sandwiches and fruit for her special lunch. On field day, her and her sisters all won 1st place in the running races. Sadly, they left the beach back to South Dakota. As a teenager, her family moved to Birchwood, Minnesota. While living there, she learned and excelled at Waterskiing. She even waterskied in her 40’s to show her children another amazing ability.

Married at 18, to Wayne Nelson, who was stationed in Lawton, Oklahoma, she finished her senior year of high school. After the military they returned to White Bear Lake. She then became a mother to 3 children and joined the PTA, coached girls’ softball, and drove her son to hockey and baseball games plus helped with Camp Fire Girls. She became a single mother working fulltime, struggled, but never gave up for her children’s happiness. She made two trips to Scotland to visit her mother’s side of the family. Family Ancestry was another passion and keeping all distant family connections. She also played Tennis, Guitar, Painted, was in a play with White Bear Theater, wrote poetry but her biggest love was her Photography. She loved taking pictures of her grandchildren, beaches, sunsets and anything to do with space. When she retired, she spent winters at Cocoa Beach, Florida and summers in Minnesota. It was perfect for her the balance of rocket launches, astronauts and the beach in Florida, grandchildren and summer in Minnesota. As she grew older her unwavering faith in God increased. She loved watching Christian TV and sharing love and faith with everyone who would listen. Daughter Brenda was her link to anything space, since having worked on Space Shuttle, Delta, Atlas and Vulcan programs. Her daughter Shelly was a University of Minn alumni and Lorrie proudly wore Gopher apparel.

Her final four years were spent in River Falls, Wisconsin. Fiercely independent, she maintained her own apartment by herself. She loved her apartment due to overlooking the Kinnikinnic River. She spent hours watching the wildlife, ducks, rabbits and hawks as the seasons changed. Her favorite mornings would include coffee and a donut with her son Dan. Her granddaughter Josie would take grandma to lunch, which delighted her, because Josie always picks the best places. She talked about Evie, her neighbor, and that Evie would bring up her packages from the mailroom and even knitted a Christmas stocking for her.

She adored Danielle and husband Kevin and loved all the cattle the kids were raising. Growing up on a farm, she understood the hard work that kind of life entails. Olivia was dear to her heart especially since she is going to college to become an occupational therapist. Lorrie wished that she had graduated so she could help Grandma. Her grandson Wyatt was a favorite being a soccer captain of high school but also would carry Grandma’s groceries up to her apartment. Her daughter-in-law Missy was a great help by taking her to doctor appointments, picking up prescriptions and expertly helping her with her cell phone and TV.

Mostly mom, loved her family dearly. She brought her children to pick up trash and clean up whenever we left a campground, a park, or our own neighborhood. She said to leave a place better than it was when you got there. She surely did, she left this world a better place.

A Celebration of Life will be scheduled at a later date.

Donations in her name can be made to (NKF) National Kidney Foundation.

.