Obituary - Nora C. Nelson

Nora C. Nelson, 95, passed away due to natural causes Sunday, February 23, 2020, at Northern Montana Care Center.

Cremation has taken place, and vigil services will be held at 7:00 p.m. Friday, February 28, 2020, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church. A memorial Mass will begin at 11:00 a.m. Saturday at St. Jude’s, with burial to follow in Highland Cemetery.

Nora’s family has suggested that memorial donations be made in her name to the North Central Senior Center, St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, or charity of the donor’s choice.

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements.

Nora’s online memorial page can be found at http://www.hollandbonine.com.

Nora was born November 3, 1924, to Michael and Hannah (Friel) McKernan on the family farm outside of Box Elder. She worked on the farm and attended school in Box Elder, graduating from Box Elder High School in 1942.

Due to WWII she left Northern Montana College for the Portland shipyards and supported the war effort as a welder, where she was endearingly known as “Pinky the Welder.”

After the war she returned to Havre where she worked at Buttrey’s. While working there, she caught the eye of Roy Nelson; the couple married and continued on to raise their three sons.

She was hired into the Clerk and Recorder’s Office of Hill County, later becoming the county auditor and eventually being elected as a Hill County commissioner, where she remained for many years.

Nora was a kind and joyful woman who was an avid reader, enjoyed fishing, playing pinochle, the Word Jumble in the daily paper, and loved going to TOPS with friends. She was a member of St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, the Catholic Daughters of America, and the Havre Aerie Eagles’ Auxiliary. She spent most of her time volunteering at the senior center and church, where she also served as a Eucharistic minister. She had a long and wonderful life full of many friends and family, among whom her gentle demeanor, quick wit, and superlative storytelling will be dearly missed.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy V. Nelson; parents, Michael and Hannah McKernan; brother, Michael (Phylis) McKernan; sisters Mary (Ted) Brady and Kay (Adam) Schweitzer; brother-in-law Ray Warhank; nephews Jack Brady and Darwin Schweitzer; niece Colleen Warhank; nephew-in-law Spec Miner, and close friends Al and Evelyn Morse and Fred and Babe Krueger.

Nora is survived by her children, Ray (Nancy) Nelson of Whittier, NC, Mickey (Debbie) Nelson of Sequim, WA, and Greg (Kathy) Nelson of Belgrade, MT; four grandchildren, David (Gay) and Dennis Nelson, Jessica (Jeff) Werther and Kirsten Nelson; 12 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; sister Pat Warhank, and numerous nieces, nephews and many friends.