Marilynn Nelson

Marilynn Nelson was a tenacious woman who lived her life by being an example of a caring wife, mother and grandmother. Marilynn took great pride in her children and grandchildren; the successes in their lives are a great testimony to her parenting.

Making transformations for generations to come, 1926 was a year of many changes and new beginnings. Cars began to run better with the invention of antifreeze, and kids learned the game of miniature golf, which was being played on rooftops around the country. Women were creating talk with their knee-length skirts, and two new national radio stations were heard in homes, thanks to the efforts of the newly established NBC network. It was into these prosperous times that Marilynn Reigle entered the world. Born on May 6, 1926, in Gobles, Michigan, Marilynn was the only child of Orville and Gertrude (Wagner) Reigle. Orville drove a school bus for the Gobles schools and also ran a small grocery store while Gertrude was a homemaker raising their daughter. Little Marilynn had a pretty typical childhood, and being an only child gave her parents the opportunity to spoil her rotten. Marilynn attended a one-room school, which started out with only four students, but by the time she graduated in 1944 from Gobles High School, there were 21 other students. After graduating, Marilynn took an interest in one of her old classmates named James Nelson. After a romantic courtship, the young couple fell deeply in love and was married on November 16, 1946. The newlyweds established their home in Gobles and their family quickly grew to include three wonderful children, Scott, David and Nicki. This wonderful union between Jim and Marilynn lasted for 56 years until his passing on March 24, 2003.

Besides raising her children, Marilynn also worked outside the home. After high school, Marilynn received some extra schooling in the legal secretarial field. These skills enabled her to get a job as a legal secretary in the Paw Paw court systems and retired after 20 years of dedicated service. Marilynn didn’t take much time to enjoy her retirement; she jumped right into getting her real estate license and then began selling residential homes. Unfortunately, Marilynn’s sense of direction was very poor so her family was recruited to drive for her to show houses. After 10 years and great persuasion from her children, Marilynn finally retired from the real estate business.

One of Marilynn’s great passions was Christmas. She loved this holiday so much that she planned and lived for it all year through. Perhaps that is why she had an infatuation for shopping. Her shopping trips were never for herself, but for everyone else. The only rule she shopped by was in order to buy something; it had to be on “clearance.” She had a dresser stuffed full of Christmas gifts by the time December finally rolled around. As her parents lovingly spoiled her as a child, Marilynn too lavished her children and eventually grandchildren with many things. When it came time to actually make a list for Christmas, Marilynn and Jim wouldn’t just choose one or two things off of their children’s lists; they would buy everything that they asked for. This tradition was happily passed on to the grandchildren. What a sight it must have been on Christmas morning seeing the tree bursting with beautifully decorated presents.

Marilynn took great pride in her appearance and faithfully every Friday, she would have her hair done. She was also very meticulous in the way she dressed and you would never catch her wearing jeans. When relaxing at home, Marilynn enjoyed watching television, especially the Lifetime channel. She would watch movie after movie never switching to any other channel. She also enjoyed spending time with her mom playing bunko (a dice game). Cooking was not one of Marilynn’s strong points perhaps because as a child her mother did most of the cooking and never took the time to learn. Going out to eat was the solution and they often frequented her favorite restaurant, Old Country Buffet, where she enjoyed eating off the salad bar.

Road trips provided Marilynn with many happy memories. On two occasions, Jim and Marilynn accompanied their kids to Florida in a motor home. They left remembering not only the beautiful scenery of the ocean but also its “salty” taste. There were also many trips over the years to Chicago to visit relatives. They would take along their family dog “Chan-boy” who rode on the running board of the car from Paw Paw all the way to Chicago. Marilynn had a soft spot for dogs and was especially fond of Pekinese dogs. Every Saturday was dedicated to grocery shopping with the whole family in tow while Sundays were devoted to going to church with her mom. Sadly, when her mother passed away, Marilynn stopped going.

Marilynn Nelson died on Thursday, February 12, 2004, at Borgess Medical Center. Her husband, James Nelson, preceded her in death on March 24, 2003. Surviving are her three children: Scott Nelson of Paw Paw, David (Bonnie) Nelson of Paw Paw, and Nicki (Dale) Orr of Paw Paw; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren and several cousins.

Friends may spend time with the family on Monday, February 16, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Betzler & Thompson Life Story Funeral Homes, M-40 South of I-94, Paw Paw, Michigan, 657-3870; where a Celebration of Life service will be held on Tuesday, February 17, at 1:00 p.m., with Pastor Mark Whittaker officiating. Interment will take place in Robinson Cemetery, Gobles, Michigan. To Read Marilynn’s complete life story, share a memory, send flowers or make a memorial contribution to American Diabetes Association, please visit www.lifestorynet.com.

Throughout her life, Marilynn Nelson was a model of devotion and love. Although she will be deeply missed, Marilynn’s legacy of love and dedication leaves her loved ones with treasured memories to look to for comfort.