Rebecca Nelson

South Royalton, VT – Rebecca Joyce (Dickinson) Nelson, 79, passed away on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at DHMC in Lebanon, NH. She was born on January 15, 1946, in Barnet, VT, to Dorothy (Comstock) and Robert Dickinson.

Rebecca attended school at East Ryegate Grammar School and Bradford High School. As a child she enjoyed spending time with her grandparents, fishing with her dad and helping her mom care for her baby sister. As she grew up on a farm, she developed a lifelong love for animals, especially dogs and horses. On September 29, 1962, she married Richard D. Nelson.

She had a great love for family and was dedicated to caring for her husband and her children. Her love for her grandparents turned into a love of caring for the elderly as well. For 27 years she worked for the Visiting Nurses of Vermont and New Hampshire. She started out as an LNA and worked up to office manager. One big achievement she was proud of was that she helped write the "Home Health Aid Manual" for the state, which she implemented for her place of work. In her later years with failing health, to her frustration, she needed to be cared for hy her family and others. Rebecca kept a good sense of humor though, and often joked with the nurses who were caring for her that she had the same initials that they did, RN.

Rebecca loved family picnics, planning many and attending ones that others planned. She enjoyed cooking for her family and others and was well known for her wonderful doughnuts. She also loved horse riding, and always had a horse. Her Christian faith was very important to her, and if she heard bad news she would say, "We need to pray to God about that, and ask Him for His help". She also enjoyed spending time with her seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her baby sister, Diane Dickinson; her father, Robert Dickinson; her mother, Dorothy Aldrich; her brother, Robert Dickinson, Jr., her sister Ramona Nelson; her nephew, Dwayne Dickinson formerly of Burlington, VT; a grandniece, April Freeman formerly of Oklahoma; a sister-in-law, Beth Nelson formerly of Woodsville, NH; a brother-in-law, Alfred Nelson formerly of Bethel, VT; and very recently, and a sister-in-law, Shirley Nelson formerly of East Ryegate, VT.

Rebecca is survived by her spouse of 63 years, Richard D. Nelson, Sr.; her daughter, Laurie Kelsh and her husband Tom of Chazy, NY, and their son Christopher and his family; her daughter, Loretta LaBounty and her husband Chris, of Sharon, VT, and their children, Ashely, Ryan and Seth and their families; her son, Richard Nelson, Jr. and his wife Alissa of Shelburne, VT, and their children, Annie, Austine and Lysle and their families; her sister-in-law, Norene Dickinson of Burlington, VT, and her children Arthur Dickinson and Cheryl Dunkling and their families; her sister-in-law Arlene Nelson of Bethel, VT; her brother's-in-law, Edwin Nelson, William Nelson and Melvin Nelson, all of East Ryegate, VT; and many many nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at 1 PM at the Barnet Center Presbyterian Church, Barnet Center, VT, with a committal to follow at the Barnet Center Cemetery.

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