Isabel Overson Nelson

Isabel Overson Nelson

February 14, 1925 November 25, 2021

On November 25, 2021 Isabel Overson Nelson left this life to join her family on the other side of the veil.

Isabel was born on February 14, 1925 in St. Johns, Arizona. She grew

up in St. Johns during the depression, though she did spend time in Washington state and attended Yuma High School for one year, where her oldest brother, Wesley, was a teacher.

After graduation from high school in St. Johns, she attended college in Flagstaff at what is now Northern Arizona University and then completed nursing training in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

While in New Mexico, she met a dashing young Navy officer candidate from Phoenix, Arizona, Garth Nelson. They were married in the Mesa Arizona LDS Temple in June 1947. Garth attended law school at the University of Arizona, while Isabel practiced nursing. Garth accepted employment in Yuma, Arizona with the County Attorney's office and Isabel became the youngest director of nurses at the Yuma County Hospital until the birth of her daughter, Sharon. Steven and Mitchell followed and Isabel settled into a somewhat typical role as homemaker, though her

nursing training made her the unofficial caregiver for all of her many friends in Yuma.

She continued to practice nursing part-time. Eventually, when the children were older, she accepted a research position with the U.S. Public Health Service investigating eye disease among the Quechan and Cocopah tribes. She was then tasked with returning

and treating tribal members afflicted by disease. This experience led to her being invited to become director of nursing at Fort Yuma Indian Hospital. She continued in that position for 20 years until her retirement. About that same time, she had her youngest child, Roger, who was born in 1965.

After their retirement, she moved with Garth to her

hometown of St. Johns, where they lived in her childhood home. They later served as volunteers in the LDS canning facility in Snowflake, which led to their call as humanitarian missionaries in Cambodia for two years, where Garth taught cannery science at the University and Isabel taught English in the Cambodian palace. After returning from Cambodia, they later served two more service missions in Salt Lake City.

They subsequently moved back to Yuma, Arizona where Garth died in 2015 after an accident. Isabel then lived with her son Roger and his wife Sonnet until a failing memory led her to a care facility.

Isabel Overson Nelson was an amazing force of nature. Ever the instigator and leader in any endeavor, she had the energy of a dozen women. Her children remember the thousands of acts of kindness that she extended daily during her time in Yuma and elsewhere. Hospice care, nursing support, and medical advice were part of her daily existence. Everyone wanted Isabel's advice and accepted her kind care during illness.

This continued to the end of her life. Even in the adult care center in Yuma, she assisted with the care of her fellow retirees, and continued to refer to her daily trips as going to her job. She made service the focus of her life and served faithfully in many positions in the LDS church including Relief Society president and Junior Sunday School leader.

She and Garth were long-time volunteers with the Friends of the Yuma Library. She and Garth also served as Temple missionaries in the Snowflake Temple later in life.

Family was everything to Isabel and she now joins her family in heaven. She is predeceased by her brothers and sisters Wesley, Bernice, Howard, Clyde Jr., Doreen, and Bruce. She is survived by her youngest brother, Clay. She is also predeceased by her son Mitchell.

She is survived by her daughter Sharon DeHart (Mickey) of Tampa, Florida, son Steven (Jane) of Phoenix, Arizona and son Roger (Sonnet) of Yuma,

Arizona, eleven grandchildren, and 20 great grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the marvelous caregivers at River Valley Estates for the loving care they gave to Isabel for the last several years.

There will be a graveside service December 11, 2021 at the Desert Lawn Cemetery, 1415 S. 1st Avenue, in Yuma. Celebration of life to follow at the LDS Church at 8451 E. 36th Street, Yuma.

She was born on Valentine's Day, full of love, and left us on Thanksgiving Day, full of gratitude.

Please sign the guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/yumasun