Nancy Shaw Nelson

life story

A loving wife, mother, and grandmother

Our dear "Nana" passed away peacefully on December 9th, 2023, after a long battle with Alzheimer's. We love and miss you, Nancy!

Nancy's Story

Nancy Shaw Nelson, 78, of Plymouth, Minnesota, passed away December 9, 2023. Nancy was born May 9, 1945, the daughter of Sterling and Marian Street Shaw.

Nancy grew up in West Lafayette Indiana. Because her father was the Director of Admissions at Purdue University, she was pre-ordained to attend Purdue where she graduated with a degree in Biological Science. She attended graduate school at Indiana University where she met her future husband, Chad.

Nancy and Chad got married in 1969 while Chad was serving in the U.S. Army Computer Systems Command as a Project Officer at Ft. Lewis Washington. Nancy and Chad spent their “Honeymoon” traveling weekends north to Vancouver British Columbia, west to the San Juan Islands and Olympic Peninsula, south to the Columbia River, and east to Mount Rainier and the Cascade Mountains.

Nancy and Chad moved to Plymouth in 1970 when Chad accepted a job at General Mills. Nancy had a job as a researcher at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital. While raising their two children, Nancy decided to return to school to earn her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the University of Minnesota. After a short time at the Minnesota Poison Control Center, she worked 16 years as a pharmacist at Aetna Pharmacy Management.

Nancy enjoyed doing activities with her kids and with friends. She enjoyed gardening and sewing, appreciated flowers (especially red ones), loved to ski and hike, and was always ready to travel or take a road trip. Nancy was a longtime member of Wayzata Community Church where she volunteered, at one point serving as Chair of the Board of Christian Education.

She was proud of her children and grandchildren; she will be deeply missed by family and friends. Her family is thankful to all that cared for her during her battle with Alzheimer’s.

Nancy is survived by her husband of 54 years, Chad; brother Dan Shaw; brother-in-laws Randy (Kay) Nelson and Scott (Trisha) Nelson; children, Brett (Nicole) Nelson and Cara (Christopher) Schultz; grandchildren, Kylee & Coleman Myer, and Violet, Zoe & Winter Nelson.

Memorial Service and visitation is planned for June 8, 2024. In lieu of flowers, donations will be taken in Nancy’s name to Wayzata Community Church, or to The Wayzata Conservancy.

memorial service

Nancy Shaw Nelson's Memorial Service

June 8, 2024

Wayzata Community Church 125 Wayzata Blvd, Wayzata, MN 55391, USA