Irene Erickson Nelson

Irene (Erickson) Nelson, age 96, of Milaca, died November 14, 2009 at the Milaca Elim Home. Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 20 at 11 AM at First Baptist Church in Milaca with Rev. Adrian Bolt and Rev. Tom Sahlstrom officiating. Interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Ronneby. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Music will be provided by Mary Wallin, Mary Kyle, Barb Millam, and a quartet of Bob Hjort, Vernon Bloom, Vernon Magnuson and Lloyd Olson. Casketbearers will include Don Hubbard, Roy Hohmann, Gary Erickson, Richard Hoeck, Joe Nelson and Merlyn Nelson. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to The Gideons International or the Milaca Elim Home. Arr. Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home of Milaca. Irene was born February 23, 1913 to John and Pearl (Butler) Philo in Glendorado Township, MN. She attended rural country school near Oak Park and high school in Foley . She married Edwin Erickson at the Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Oak Park in 1933. The couple lived in Oak Park until their retirement. In 1972, they moved to Milaca and Edwin passed away in 1980. Irene married Everett Nelson in 1981 and they continued to live in Milaca. Everett preceded her in 1987. Irene was a long time member of the First Baptist Church in Milaca where she helped with Sunday School and Bible School. She also served at the church organist and choir director and was a music volunteer at the Milaca Elim Home. Irene enjoyed music and gave piano lessons over the years. She also enjoyed gardening and taking care of her flowers. She is survived by nephew, Arthur Williams and wife Nancy of Mountain Home, AR, and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and husbands, Edwin Erickson and Everett Nelson, two sisters and one nephew.