Clara Nelson, 79

Clara Ann Nelson, age 79, of Baldwin, died on Feb. 2, 2010, at her home in Park Place Apartments in Woodville.

Clara was born on July 21, 1930, to Theodore H. and Minnie (Madsen) Ecker in Perham, Minn. The family returned to her father’s family farm in the St. Croix Valley area where Clara grew up and attended 3 Willow Country School in the Hammond Township. She graduated from Baldwin High School and later attended classes to become a certified nurses’ aide. Upon completion of her classes, Clara worked in various medical fields. She was a dental assistant, a nurses’ aide, an outreach worker, and for many years served in home health care. She was very proud of the work she did and the care she gave to those in need.

Around the age of 17, she met a young man named Sam Nelson. On Sept. 3, 1948, she married Sam on the Ecker family farm in the Hammond Township. That marriage would be blessed with 3 children. Shortly after their marriage, they bought this family farm and together lived there until Sam passed away in 2000. Clara moved to town to an apartment until purchasing her twin home in Baldwin 7 years ago. This past September, Clara moved to the Parkview Apartments in Woodville. In all, Clara spent 70 of her 79 years of life living on her 4 generation farm.

Clara was a dedicated mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was well known for her famous molasses cookies and was an excellent cook. She was an active, independent woman who loved adventure and loved spending time with her friends and family. She loved horses and traveling and wintered in Arizona for over 25 years, spending time at the family cabin enjoying fishing and emailing friends. She loved to tease and was the family prankster. When relaxing at home, she enjoyed reading, cards, a board game, crossword puzzle, scrabble, and the challenge of her game shows, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune and Family Feud. She also took on the role of family historian and loved to research her family genealogy.

Clara leaves behind her loving family. This includes her daughters, Anne (Ted) Falk and Bonnie (LaVerne) Stauner; son, Donald Nelson; grandchildren, Jody, Jonathan, Tammy, Kelly, Christy and Marsha; 11 great-grandchildren; brother, Paul (Marzella) Ecker; one niece, two nephews, and many dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Sam, and her parents, Theodore H. and Minnie (Madsen) Ecker.

Services for Clara will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Baldwin. Visitation for Clara will be held from 4-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, at the O’Connell Family Funeral Home in Baldwin, as well as on Saturday at the church from 10-11 a.m. Burial will follow funeral services at the Baldwin Cemetery.

Services are in the care of the O’Connell Family Funeral Home.