Joan M. Nelson

Joan M Nelson passed away at home on Thursday, December 3, 2020.  Joan was 89.

She was born on May 19, 1931, in Odebolt, IA, to Rev. Edmund and Dorothy (Hedlind) Carlson.  She went to North Park College and earned her RN at Swedish Covenant Hospital. She then worked as a scrub nurse in the OR at a Chicago hospital.  She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in education at the University of Minnesota and briefly taught OR Nursing at Lutheran Deaconess Hospital, Minneapolis.

She married D Dale Nelson on March 26, 1960 in Pomeroy, IA.  They lived in Minneapolis and Bloomington, MN before moving to Fox Lake, IL after they retired.

Joan’s life work and calling was to start the Clothes Closet in 1967 at Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, where Joan and Dale were long time members.  She was a leader at the Clothes Closet as a volunteer, providing clothes and a hot meal to those in need, for over 37 years before ‘retiring’ in 2004 when they moved to Fox Lake, IL.  Joan loved people and connecting with them; family, friends and even those she just met.

Joan is survived by her husband of 60 years, Dale Nelson; her daughters, Chris (Dan) Kroiss and Ruth Kormendy; her grandchildren, Matthew (Bri) Anderson, Katie Anderson, Staci (AJ) Babcock and Andy Kormendy and great-grandchildren, Jacob and Chloe Babcock as well as many cousins, extended family and dear friends.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Kari and son-in-law, Ed Kormendy.

The family wishes to thank the hospice staff at ThedaCare at Home for the support they provided over the last two months.

There will be a memorial service for Joan at St. Mark Lutheran Church, Lindenhurst, IL on Saturday, December 12, 2020 at 1:00.  Due to COVID restrictions, those wishing to attend need to register on St Mark’s website (smlc.org).  Interment will be later at Central Lutheran Church columbarium.

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