Marilyn I Nelson

Marilyn Irene Nelson, 77, died on May 31, 2012, surrounded by her family, in the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Amy Noel, on Brice Prairie, Wisconsin. She was born on July 5, 1934 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Mildred (Anderson) and George Nelson.

Marilyn was a committed, hard-working, intelligent, accomplished woman who was the mother of seven, grandmother of 17, and great-grandmother of eight. Despite challenges in her journey as a single mother, she succeeded admirably in providing for her family, showing love and loyalty to her full clan of children and their families, and pursuing her own interests and friendships.

She was an adventurous child. At the age of four, Marilyn escaped her mothers watch and convinced a friend to join her in climbing over a fence and up a telephone pole to the top of a nearby building. As a young person, she had a love of reading and music. She particularly enjoyed playing French horn in the Logan High School band under the direction of Frank Italiano. A highlight was a band trip to the state basketball tournament in Madison.

Marilyn raised her seven children primarily in La Crosse. She and her mother Mildred Nelson, also of La Crosse, shared many of lifes pleasures and worked as a team on many of lifes responsibilities. The two of them set high standards for housekeeping.

In 1968, at the age of 34, Marilyn applied to work at Inland Printing. She had children ranging in age from 16 to 6 years old, and had little formal work experience. She convinced her prospective employer that she was capable of proof-reading and performing basic administrative duties and was hired as the new companys first and, at the time, sole support staff member. She worked loyally for Inland until her retirement in 1997 and was a part of its success and growth into a much larger business.

Marilyn loved babies. Nothing delighted her as much as rocking, reading to, and caring for the babies in her family. She never forgot a grandchilds birthday and attended many of their performances, school and sporting events. She knitted Christmas stockings and baby blankets for each of her great-grandchildren. As her grandchildren reached adulthood, Marilyn enjoyed learning about their adventures, education, accomplishments, careers, and families, but may not have realized how much she laid the foundation for their successes. She provided unwavering loyalty to her family members during good times and hard times.

Marilyn maintained friendships with high school friends, and made new friends through her various activities. She greatly enjoyed her knitting group, Stitch-n-Bitch. All were dear to her. Her sister Joan was her confidante and traveling companion especially for adventures, including a special trip to Holden Village, Washington, and to Norway and Sweden to visit their grandfathers birthplace.

Marilyn was an intelligent woman with passionate interests. She was a crossword puzzle master, a gardener admired for her unfailing green thumb, an avid reader, an enthusiast for the arts and music, a frequent attendee of theatre and symphonic performances, a participant in Swing Into Shape and YMCA exercise classes, a talented cook of traditional Wisconsin cuisine, and an independent learner of piano and French. Marilyn was always on top of current events in the local community and the world. She had a great sense of justice. She was a skilled conversationalist who was equally admired and engaged by her contemporaries as she was her grandchildren.

Marilyn loved the La Crosse community and gave back to it. She volunteered at Gundersen Lutheran, where she received the Volunteer of the Year award in 2007. She was a member of the singing group, Variety Singers, and also volunteered at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Marilyn was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith and actively served her faith community.

Marilyn has left behind a clan of Nelson-Noel family members who reflect her many amazing attributes, including a hard-nosed worker bee quality; a deep family loyalty; a sensibility about the big issues in life; humor and enthusiasm about the fun and beautiful parts of life; talent for handiwork; a certain rebellious nature; an appreciation of flora and fauna; a sense of humility in a world that is much bigger than us; and a desire to do ones best, which sometimes requires us to re-evaluate and stick together. Marilyns legacy will be carried forward by these many family members who will miss her dearly, and were so fortunate to have had her as a fierce source of strength in their lives.

Marilyn is survived by her sister Joan Gerth of Minneapolis, MN and Joans son and daughters; by all of her children and their spouses, Karolyn (Terry) Collins and Kathryn (Michael) Moen of La Crosse; John Noel and James (Amy) Noel of Onalaska; Elizabeth (Rocky) Bartlett of Brownsville, MN; Jeffry (Judy) Noel of Holmen; and Sarah (Greg) Griffiths of Rochester, MN. She is also survived by her grandchildren Wendy and Larry Kaufmann and Robbie Kaufmann (Jen Doering); Mary Beth Collins, Anna (Tomaso Mani) Collins Mani and Julie (Mark Reyes) Collins Reyes; Nick Moen (Megan Coyle) and Scott (Kaylen) Moen; Jamie Lynn Noel Beeskau and Shannon Noel; Kim Noel (Avery Ridolfo) and Hannah Noel (Eric Bouchard); Mitchell Noel (Janet Yearous) and Collin and Cassie Noel; and James and Noelle Griffiths. Marilyn is survived by her great-grandchildren Peter and Madeline Collins Conowall; Keionna Noel; Giulia and Livia Mani; Kyleigh, Matthew, Izabel and Seth Kaufmann; and Benjamin Reyes.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents.

A gathering in honor of Marilyns life will be held Saturday, June 9th at Myrick Hixon EcoPark, 789 Myrick Park Drive, La Crosse. Friends may greet the family from 5-7:30 p.m. A celebration service will follow at 7:30 p.m. Schumacher-Kish is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to www.schumacher-kish.com.

Memorials can be directed to Myrick Hixon EcoPark, La Crosse Community Theatre, La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, and Habitat for Humanity ReStore.