Christine L.A. Nelson

Christine L.A. Nelson

Sutton, NH — Christine Lois Abernathy Nelson, of Sutton, New Hampshire died peacefully at home on November 19, 2021 at the age of 69. Christine endured a long struggle with Atypical Parkinson's and Dementia and passed on with her loving husband and only daughter by her side.

Christine was born on June 21, 1952 in Chelsea, Massachusetts to Marion (Haydock) Abernathy and Walter C. Abernathy. She attended elementary, middle and high school in Lynn, Massachusetts and graduated from Lynn Classical High School in 1970.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Christine gained experience in the administrative and insurance field through her work at Hartford Insurance, Aetna and Marsh McLennan of Boston, Massachusetts. In 1986, Christine was introduced to the love her life, Robert "Bud" Nelson by mutual neighbors/friends. The couple married on July 8, 1989 and Christine relocated from Revere, Massachusetts with her daughter Carlene to join Bud in Sutton, New Hampshire where she would spend her next 32 years. Carlene, daughter of Christine and her former husband Steve Gotimer, has always been Christine's pride and joy and is adored by her father and stepfather.

In 1989, Christine began her employment with the Kearsarge Regional Middle School in New London, New Hampshire. Serving primarily as the school's Computer Lab Aide, Christine was known to her beloved students as "Mrs. N." She took a leave of absence in 1994 to care for her ailing mother in Massachusetts and later returned to work in the Special Education department in 1995 as a Para Educator. Christine was passionate in her support and dedication to education and cared deeply about her students. Through the years, Christine taught computer classes, tutored students and volunteered for school-related activities in the community.

For many years, Christine was a valued news and local sports contributor to the local publication The Intertown Record of Sutton, New Hampshire as well as the Argus Champion of Newport, New Hampshire. She also worked as the Town of Sutton Zoning Board Secretary, volunteered as a ballot counter for the Town of Sutton on election days and volunteered as a an EMT for the Bradford Fire Rescue Squad from 1993 to 1997.

From 1991 to 2006, Christine also enjoyed working for Mesa International in Warner, New Hampshire in Sales and Customer Service. In 1998, she traveled to Dallas, Texas with Carlene as her assistant for a week-long trade show, successfully showcasing and selling Mesa's pottery and glassware products. In 2007, Christine secured what she called her "most favorite summer job", assisting in the office of Twin Lake Villa on Little Lake Sunapee in New London, New Hampshire.

Driven by her love and loyalty to many friends afflicted by cancer, Christine was an avid supporter of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and in particular, the Kearsarge Lake Sunapee Relay For Life. In 2006, she was one of 16 representatives invited to Washington, D.C. to represent the State of New Hampshire at the National Relay For Life Celebration On The Hill. This event served as the pinnacle of Christine's efforts and accomplishments to benefit the ACS and she described it then as "an amazing and uplifting event." She served as the local Relay For Life Chairperson in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and remained a fierce ACS supporter for years to come.

Always eager to learn, Christine pursued and later obtained her Associate's in Arts from Granite State College in 2016 (at the ripe age of 64!), which was a very proud moment for her and her family.

Christine enjoyed her family and friends, photography, bird watching, gardening, the beach, sunsets, lighthouses, felines and many other animals. She loved decorating and making crafts for the holidays, especially Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Her positive energy was contagious and she is known for her smiles, laughs and her fun and festive spirit. A self-proclaimed "mooniac," Christine loved viewing and photographing the moon, especially when it was full. It was therefore perfectly appropriate that she passed during the hours of the longest lunar eclipse of this century - the Beaver Moon of November 19, 2021 - which glowed a soft red to the naked eye.

Christine is predeceased by her mother Marion, her father Walter, her father in-law Robert M. Nelson and many other dear family members and friends. She leaves behind her loving husband Bud, daughter Carlene (Gotimer) Lorenzo, son in-law Ernest "Ernie" Lorenzo and beloved grandsons, Caiden and Cameron (who knew her as "Gigi").

Her surviving brother Walter C. Abernathy, Jr. and his his wife Linda Abernathy of Topsfield, Massachusetts and Christine's sister Jane Abernathy of Leesburg, Florida were all dear to her. Christine was also blessed to have loving relationships with her mother in-law Irene Nelson of New London, NH; her brother in-law Charles Nelson and his wife Dawn Nelson of Sutton, New Hampshire; her sister in law Linda Clark and her husband James Clark of Hopkinton, New Hampshire as well as many adoring nieces and nephews.

Christine's legacy and beautiful spirit will always live on through the celebration of her huge heart, the endless love she gave to friends and family and the wonderful stories and memories we all share.

Calling hours at Chadwick Funeral Home, 235 Main Street, New London, New Hampshire will be Monday, November 22, 2021 from 5:00 - 7:00 P.M. and Tuesday, November 23, 2021 from 10:00 - 11:00 A.M.

Funeral to take place at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at Chadwick Funeral Home, followed by burial services at Millwoods Cemetery, Rt. 114, South Sutton, New Hampshire. Friends and family are welcome at the cemetery to lay Christine to rest.

Reception to follow at Appleseed Restaurant, 63 High Street, Bradford, New Hampshire.

In lieu of flowers, please consider sending donations to the Granite VNA (Visit hwww.granitevna.org/donate) and/or to the American Cancer Society (NH), P.O. Box 15038, Bedford, NH 03110, www.cancer.org/involved/donate.

To sign an online guestbook, please visit www.chadwickfuneralservice.com.