Priscilla L Nelson

Priscilla Lucille Cote, age 82, was born on September 20, 1943, in Lewiston, Maine. After courageously navigating the hardships of Alzheimer’s disease, she peacefully passed away on November 21, 2025, embraced within the love of her family.

Priscilla was the only child of George and Germaine Cote, who raised her in Berlin, NH, where she grew up in the company of numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. Celebrating life events and family traditions were greatly enjoyed by all and instilled in Priscilla strong values and love of family from an early age.

After graduating from Berlin High, Priscilla married Richard (Dick) Nelson, and moved to Manchester, NH where they raised their four children. Even in such a busy household, Priscilla always put her family first, juggling creative part time jobs like baking fresh bread to sell at the local grocery store to being an avid fan of drum and bugle corps, traveling to watch her youngest children perform and compete over the years.

She was always there for her children and grandchildren – lending an ear, sharing a laugh or instilling values of honesty, integrity and loyalty. She unfailingly encouraged them to follow their dreams and aspirations, with unconditional support.

On a professional level, Priscilla built a long and dedicated career as a manager with Pizza Hut in Manchester, NH and later transferred to Florida, where she lived and continued to work in management, until her retirement. She was well respected for her strong work ethic, practical wisdom, and supportive demeanor.

Outside of work, Priscilla loved spending time at Florida beaches, searching for fossilized shark teeth, and was a regular visitor to local theme parks, which she thoroughly enjoyed sharing with her grandchildren. She was an avid reader, and a book was never far from her hands. She excelled at and enjoyed baking and was renowned in her family for her deliciously flaky pie crust. She took great joy in passing on these skills to her children, grandchildren, and close family friends. Making meat pies and a special secret family sauce for Christmas is a cherished family tradition that she looked forward to every year. Family meant everything to Priscilla.

Priscilla is survived by her loving children: Lori (Nelson) Wassung and her husband, Edward; Sherri Nelson; Brett Nelson and his wife, Stacey; and Vicki Nelson. Grandchildren include Lori’s children: Caitlin, Alli, and Eric and Sherri’s children: Nick, Kyle, and Tim. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Nelson, and her parents, George and Germaine Cote. She held lifelong friends Bill Riff (Billy) and Sandy Haskell (Sis) closest to her heart.

A gathering will be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at 10am at Phaneuf Funeral Home, 250 Coolidge Ave in Manchester, NH and a memorial service will begin at the funeral home at 11am. Burial at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Manchester will immediately follow the services. All are welcome to join the family in honoring Priscilla’s memory.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Hillsborough County Nursing Home for their exceptional care and love during Priscilla’s short stay and the Hospice team from the Elliot VNA for their care, compassion, and support of Priscilla and her family during a very difficult time.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Priscilla’s memory to The Elliot VNA

Phaneuf Funeral Homes have been entrusted with arrangements. To view an online tribute, leave a message of condolence or for more information please visit www.phaneuf.net.