Elsie Nelson

Elsie Nelson, age 97 of Buffalo SD, died Saturday, March 16, 2019 at the Dahl Memorial Nursing Home in Ekalaka MT.

Her life will be celebrated 2 pm Saturday, March 23, 2019 at Leverington Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche.  Pastor Tom Martin will officiate.  Visitation will be held 5 to 7pm Friday at the funeral home.  Interment will take place in Pine Slope Cemetery.

Elsie Wahl was born January 11, 1922 at the ranch home of her parents, Carl and Elise (Jugler) Wahl.  Elsie was the youngest of five children.  She grew up on the family ranch and received her elementary education at the rural school near her home.  She attended the School of Agriculture in Brookings SD and graduated in 1939.  She furthered her education in Denver CO, where she attended Barnes School of Commerce and while there accepted a position in South Dakota State Government with the Department of Taxation in Pierre SD.

Having taken a Civil Service examination while attending business college in Denver, Elsie received an appointment in April of 1941 with the Corps of Engineers, resigned her position in Pierre and moved to Lamar CO to join the Field Office working on the John Martin Dam, a flood control project.  The Declaration of War after Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 became a District Office engaged in war construction projects under the jurisdiction of the Division Office in Dallas, TX.  Elsie served as an Administrative Department Secretary under Major J.R. O’Bryan, and in 1946 as WWII slowly came to an end transferred to the Veteran’s Administration Center in Wadsworth, KS.  She was assigned the position as Secretary to the Chiefs on the Center grounds and later reassigned to the Manager’s Office as secretary to the Executive Officer, Henry C. Herzog.  Elsie resigned from her position in 1949 to return to South Dakota and on October 15, 1949 was united in marriage to Jens Nelson at the Presbyterian Church in Sturgis SD.

Jens and Elsie made their home on the Harding County ranch for fifty years and during those years, were blessed with the birth of their three children, Larry, Carla, and Rick.  Active in the Extension Homemakers program for many years she served at County, District and State levels and as State Health Chairman was honored to receive the National Award for best State Health Report submitted at the National Homemakers Convention in Orlando, FL for the year of 1975.  Elsie participated in many county activities in the 4H program, county fair board, and as a member of a panel of judges for the Grand Electric Bake-Off in Bison for several years while that competition was being held as a special annual event.

Elsie worked in the Butte County Treasurer’s Office for a number of years while the children attended school in Belle Fourche.  She returned to Harding County in 1974 when the children pursued their college studies.  After rejoining the workforce as Secretary in the SCS Office in Buffalo, she ran for and was elected Harding County Register of Deeds and served in that office for three terms until she retired in 1990.  Active for a number of years in the Harding County Republicans, she served as Chairman of the Party until she and Jens moved to Belle Fourche in 2000.  A Past Matron of Grand River Chapter #162, OES, Buffalo SD, she received a Grand Chapter appointment as Chaplain in 1968, and received her certificate and pin for 50 years of membership in OES in 2002.  She was honored to receive a special appointment as one of the emblem bearers of the emblematic Star at the 2007 OES Grand Chapter Session held in Pierre SD.  A member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority in Belle Fourche, Elsie has enjoyed over 25 years in the organization.

Elsie is survived by her sons, Larry (Dr. Sandra Holcomb) Nelson of Buffalo SD, Rick (JoLene) Nelson of Belle Fourche; daughter, Carla Nelson of Los Angeles CA; 2 grandchildren, Jeffrey and Melanie Nelson.  She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jens; granddaughter, Shelane Nelson; 3 sisters, Leisa Skuba, Ruth Brock, Evelyn Carney; and 1 brother, John Wahl.

Celebration of Life

2:00 P.M. – Saturday – March 23, 2019

Leverington Funeral Home

of the Northern Hills

Belle Fourche, South Dakota

Officiant

Pastor Tom Martin

Music

“The Old Rugged Cross”

 “How Great Thou Art”

Casketbearers

Larry Nelson                                                        Rick Nelson

Jack Huston                                                       Chuck Spring

Andrew Thompson                                                   Jim Wahl

Interment

Pine Slope Cemetery

Belle Fourche, South Dakota

Order of the Eastern Star

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