Ann Nelson

1935 - 2025

Ann Lenore Nelson passed away peacefully on October 19, 2025, surrounded by love. Born in Aberdeen, South Dakota, on July 10, 1935, she was the daughter of educators Merten and Gladys Hasse.

Ann graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1957, where she was president of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, Cadet Colonel of the Military Ball, and Homecoming Queen of 1956.

She met her future husband, Stan Nelson, at USD. After graduation, Ann spent a year studying in Tubingen, Germany, on a German government scholarship while Stan was in medical school at Tulane University. Two weeks after she returned to the U.S., with her wedding dress in her steamer trunk, they married--a partnership of deep love and shared purpose that lasted more than five decades.

Ann was a founding member of the Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church and an honorary life member of the PTA. She was also a past co-president and honorary member of the University of Kansas Medical Center Auxiliary, where she founded a book club that remains active to this day. Her volunteer work extended to Harvesters' "Yes, We Can" program, Friends of the Kaw, and Grandparents for Gun Safety, of which she was a founding member. She also served on the board of the Medical Arts Symphony and played piano at intimate community soirees.

Though volunteering was a central part of her life, Ann also held several part-time positions over the years, and she found the most rewarding to be helping students earn their GEDs.

A lifelong lover of books and music, Ann turned into an athlete at 50, inspired by her three active sons. She began running marathons and joined local running clubs including the Runegades, KC Track Club, KC Express, and Runners Edge. She completed a total of 20 marathons with at least one with each of her sons. At age 70, Ann qualified for and ran the Boston Marathon. She and Stan bicycled across the U.S. in 1995, carrying all of their own gear without any support vehicle. In 1999, they also biked the entire length of Great Britain, and in 2000, Spain's Camino de Santiago. For many years, she cycled in "Obliteride," a Seattle-based cancer research fundraiser. In 2007, she was named Senior Athlete of the Year by the Women's Intersport Network for Kansas City.

Ann's love of nature and history came together at Kaw Point, where, in her family's name, she adopted the mile of the Kansas River that flows into the Missouri River. She treasured its significance as the confluence visited by Lewis and Clark.

Ann lived each day as a celebration of life. When she became ill, a close friend encouraged her to keep living that way--and with the support of devoted family and friends, she did.

Ann was predeceased by her beloved husband Stan and her sister Trudy Nepstad. She is survived by her sons: Dr. Peter Nelson (Molly) of Seattle, WA; Reid Nelson (Heather) of Lawrence, KS; and Dr. Ted Nelson (Denise) of Overland Park, KS; her siblings: Ellen Buchanan (John) of Iowa City, IA; Margaret Hasse (Dave Grothe) of St. Paul, MN; Paul Hasse of Vermillion, SD; and John Hasse (Sonya Melescu) of Alexandria, VA; as well as many loving nieces and nephews and three of the dearest grandchildren on this earth: Emily, Rory, and Heidi Nelson.

A celebration of life will be held at a future date, and family and friends will be notified with details. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to any of the following causes close to Ann's heart:

- Friends of the Kaw: https://kansasriver.org.

- Grandparents for Gun Safety: https://grandparentsforgunsafety.org.

- Doctors Without Borders: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org.