Marilyn Nelson

1947 - 2023

Marilyn Nelson, 76

Marilyn Ruby June Nelson

In the late morning of July 19th, 2023, Marilyn Nelson, age 76 of Kalispell, MT, peacefully passed away in her sleep as the clouds lifted and God ushered her to heaven on the wings of angels. The day prior she spent her time laughing and relaxing with her family, eating delicious food, and reveling in the pristine weather of Boise, ID, a small leap from where she lived in Middleton. Throughout that day, Marilyn rejoiced, "Look at how beautiful this is," while gesturing to the world around her. "We are all so lucky-the whole nation is lucky, but especially us."

Marilyn was born in Whitefish, MT, on February 14th, 1947, to Pat and Ruby Patton. She married Dallas Nelson in Whitefish on November 5th, 1972, and the two of them raised a wonderful family on a beautiful farm in Kalispell. When Dallas passed away in October of 2010, Marilyn kept the farm in working order, taking care of the cows, and shoveling snow off the roof during the notorious Montana winters. As anyone who knew her will tell you, it was very easy to forget Marilyn's age, even in her older years. She spent much of her time outside, working in her garden or relaxing with her furry companions at her side. In 2022, Marilyn moved to Middleton, ID with her daughter Allie, son-in-law Kevin, and grandson, Kevin Jr.

While Marilyn cherished all the animals in her life, it was her relationships with people and her spirituality that set her apart from the crowd. She always found something to love in everyone she met. She was a real people-person, but above all she was a woman of God. It can be said with unwavering truth that the most remarkable quality of Marilyn's was her powerful, gracious, and enduring relationship with the Lord.

Through all the precious moments, and painful losses, Marilyn's love for the Lord never faltered, only strengthened, as though life's full spectrum-celebrations, grief, and everything in between-were a forge that honed her faith. She did not subscribe to any specific denomination or church, preferring instead to study her Bible and listen to sermons over the radio in the comfort of her home. She celebrated God every day, as He was truly at the forefront of her life. One would be hard-pressed to find someone who delighted in Jesus more than Marilyn, and it was because of this gift from God that she was able to see and appreciate beauty in the world during times where others may struggle to do the same. Her rock-solid faith allowed her to know that in times of chaos and uncertainty, God does reign.

Marilyn is preceded in death by her parents Pat and Ruby Patton, her brother Bob Patton, husband Dallas Nelson, daughter Sarah Nelson, daughter Dawn Nelson Grant and son Dallas Raymond Nelson. She is survived by her son John Nelson, daughter Allie Sturgess, son-in-law Kevin Sturgess, granddaughters Tara Fitzgerald, Malia and Rhiannon Sturgess, Abby and Victoria Grant, and grandson Kevin Sturgess Jr.

There will be a grave-side service at Glacier Memorial Gardens on Saturday, July 1st, at 3:00pm. A reception will follow upstairs at Brannigans.