Obituary: Beatrice May Nelson
Author: Family of Beatrice May Nelson
Beatrice May Nelson
Family of Beatrice May Nelson
Beatrice May Walters Nelson, age 96, of Absarokee, passed away at the Billings Clinic on the morning of November 24, 2023, after suffering a stroke. Bea was born January 24, 1927, in Holcombe, Wisconsin, the daughter of Ernest Walters and Eva May Beighley, the oldest daughter of 6 children. She graduated from Cornell High School in June 1944.
She was recruited to join the war effort at the Boeing Air Craft Company in Renton WA, and was an honest-to-goodness ‘Rosie the Riveter’ assembling wings of the airplanes being built for WWII.
After the war, she married Clifford John Nelson of Soldiers Grove WI, on March 25, 1946, in Tacoma WA. Their first child, Michael David, died in May 1949. They lived in Madison WI, raising two children, until 1968 when they moved to Bozeman MT. They lived briefly in Lewistown MT until they moved to Townsend in 1973. Bea worked various jobs including hospital dietitian, service industry employee, partner in running the Continental Bakery in Bozeman, and grocery store clerk. In January 2023, she moved to Absarokee MT to be closer to her family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, son Michael, brothers Delbert and John, husband Cliff, and sisters Kathryn and Marjorie. She is survived by her sister Ruby of Puyallup WA, daughter Patricia Nelson (husband Scott Zamvil) of Woodside CA, son Kenneth Nelson (wife Irene) of Absarokee MT; five grandchildren: Toby, Melissa, Luke, Matt, and Sam; nine great-grandchildren: Alivia, Tahlia, Aidan, Wyatt, Chloe, Kooper, Kayla, Josie and Blake; one great-great granddaughter Paisley; and long time best friends Jeanne and Dan Mainwaring.
Living in Wisconsin and Montana most of her life afforded many opportunities to enjoy camping, fishing, hiking, and hunting. In her 30s, she and Cliff were both WI state archery champions. For Bea, family was number one, but she was an avid reader, and loved gardening, puzzles, baking, cooking, playing cards, and the color RED. Her final wish was to be cremated with her favorite book “The Good Earth” by Pearl Buck. She was active in her church and bible text studies. May her memory be a blessing.
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Photo Credits: Family of Beatrice May Nelson
