Imogene Caulk Nelson

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Gladys Imogene Caulk Nelson, 94, a resident of Columbia, died Friday, March 14, 2025 at Life Care Center of Columbia.

Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Rev. Paul Bauer officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery. The family will visit with friends Tuesday from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to Rose Hill Cemetery P.O. Box 1511 Columbia, TN 38401 or First Presbyterian Church 801 South High Street Columbia, TN 38401.

Gladys was born September 28, 1930 in Mt. Pleasant, TN to the late Ben Henry Caulk and the late Virgil Gladys Brown Caulk. She graduated from Columbia Central High School in 1949 and joined the Women’s Army Corps until 1952. Imogene served during the Korean Conflict, stationed in Frankfurt, Germany where she met her husband George K. Nelson, having enjoyed 68 years together until his death on March 20, 2021. She attended Columbia Business College and volunteered at the Maury County Archives and retired as secretary of Zion Presbyterian Church, and earlier in life worked for the VA, at Fort Snelling, St. Paul, Minnesota. She was a longtime member of Zion Presbyterian church but in recent years attended First Presbyterian Church.

Survivors include her daughters, Dawn C. Nelson and Barbara C. (Brian) Shannon both of Columbia; two grandsons, Justin S. (Michelle) Chappell and Nathan L. (Alie Kreisal) Shannon; great grandchildren, Maddy Chappell, Austin Chappell, Natalee Shannon, and Nikolai Shannon; nieces, Carolyn Holcomb, Amy (Monty) Dunn; nephews, Tony Holcomb, Shannon Holcomb (Jennifer Shiarla); and several great nieces and great nephews.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her sister Dorothy “Dot” (Morris) Holcomb; brothers, Sherman Caulk, Shannon Caulk, Bennie Frellon Caulk, Tom English “Red” Caulk; nieces, Sharon Cantrell, Laura Rue Cleveland, and Roberta Caulk Leaphart; nephews, Phillip Holcomb, Allen Wayne Caulk, and Tom E. Caulk, Jr.; grandnephew Seth Dunn.

Active pallbearers will be Justin Chappell, Nathan Shannon, Tony Holcomb, Ben Vaughan, Branden Vaughan, Hayden Dunn, Gage Holcomb, Caleb Holcomb, Ethan Holcomb, Brian Shannon, and Monte Dunn. Honorary pallbearers former members of Jimmy Couch’s Sunday School Class at Zion Presbyterian Church, Jan Seufert, Teresa Brady, Kevin Chapell, Theresa Chappell, Reba Thomas, Eddy Thomas, Beth & Ted Jacobs, Margaret & Norman Harris, Kathy & Don Gibson, Paul Reitz, Debbie Ball, Betty & Ray Holden, and Martha Boone.