Opal Estelle Nelson

Opal Nelson passed away peacefully on Friday, June 10th, 2016 at The Good Samaritan Village in Mountain Lake, Minnesota. Opal was born on September 20th, 1920, in Butterfield, Minnesota to David P. Derksen & Emelia Albertina (Ekstrom) Derksen. She had one sibling, older sister Agnes Echo (Derksen) Raney. Opal was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church in Butterfield. She graduated from Butterfield Public High School in May, 1938. Opal Estelle Derksen and Donald Edmund Nelson were married on June 25th, 1940, at First Lutheran Church in Butterfield. Opal's husband, Donald Nelson, served on a ship in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II. During the War, Opal lived for a time in New Orleans, Louisiana with Donald while he was not at sea. After the war, the couple and their baby daughter, Mavis Ann Nelson, lived briefly in Mankato. Donald was killed in August, 1946, in a tornado while driving from Mankato to Butterfield. After Donald's death, Opal and Mavis moved to Butterfield where they lived with Opal's parents. Opal enjoyed sports in her childhood and throughout her life. As a young girl, she liked to roller skate and play baseball, kittenball (softball), dance, and participate in many other sporting activities. Opal passed her love of baseball on to her grandson, Kirk. She and Kirk traveled all over the country to watch the Minnesota Twins play baseball. Opal liked to travel. Her trips included Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand. With good friends Herzchal and Tina Milligan she took RV trips to Canada, Branson, MO, and the Ozark Mountains. With her daughter and family, she traveled to Mexico and even let her grandchildren talk her into going para-sailing in Acapulco. Opal also loved fishing. SunDown Resort on Clark Lake in Nisswa, Minnesota was an annual family vacation destination for many years with her daughter and family. Opal often took grandchildren Kirk and Karina for fishing, weiner-roast picnics and ice-skating at Butterfield Lake. Opal was a Card Shark. She loved to play Rummy, Whist, and 500. She and her mother, Emelia Derksen, belonged to a Whist club for decades. With her daughter and family she played many, many games of Rummy, even up to ten days before she died. Opal was a lifelong member of First Lutheran Church, Butterfield where she sang in the choir (singing being another of her favorite activities) and was active in the Community Club Auxiliary. She was a mainstay at the First Lutheran Church and Community Club Auxiliary food stands at the Butterfield Threshing Bee for many years. Opal attended every one of the 49 Threshing Bees since its inception in 1967, and she had been looking forward to attending the 50th anniversary Bee this August. Opal was a caregiver to many friends and home-bound people in the Butterfield area - driving folks to doctor's appointments and to visit family and friends. Opal had wanted to attend college and become an elementary school teacher, wanting specifically to teach first and second grades. She did not achieve this goal, but fulfilled her desire to teach young children by teaching Sunday School for decades at First Lutheran Church in Butterfield, Minnesota. Opal worked at the State Bank of Butterfield for many decades. She started at the bank as cashier, ultimately attaining the title of Vice-President. Opal is survived by her daughter, Mavis Ann Anderson of Washington, DC; her grandchildren Kirk Robert Lund (Kimberly Kay Knesting-Lund) of Lake Mills, Wisconsin, Karina Ann Lund (David Egan) of Quincy, Massachusetts; step-granddaughters Sarah Jennifer Coleman (Timothy Coleman) of Forest Lake, Minnesota, and Susan Mary Anderson of Denver, Colorado; great-grandchildren Maya Emelia Lund Egan, age 11, Lyla Ann Lund Egan, age 5, Vanessa Nicole Knesting Lund, age 1, step-great-grandson Ethan Jack Coleman, age 9. She is also survived by her nephews, David G. Raney (Dorothy) and Lauren L. Raney (Evah), her cousin John Ekstrom, plus many beloved great nephews and great nieces. She was predeceased by her husband, Donald Edmund Nelson (August 1946); sister Agnes Raney; brother-In-law Donald G. Raney; parents, David P. and Emelia A. Derksen, and husband's parents, Franklin A. and Lydia C. Nelson. Among her many friends, she was predeceased by Mary Ravenberg, Mary Dettman, Genevieve Hollenitsch, and others. Opal's family and loved ones express their gratitude for everyone's comfort, support, and sympathy, to the First Lutheran Church community and pastor, and to the staff for the loving care that Opal received at the Good Samaritan Lodge and Village in Mountain Lake. Visitation 1 9:00 am - 11:00 am Saturday, June 18, 2016 First Lutheran Church-Butterfield 450 - 2nd Street So. Butterfield, Minnesota, United States 56120 Service Information 11:00 am Saturday, June 18, 2016 First Lutheran Church-Butterfield 450 - 2nd Street So. Butterfield, Minnesota, United States 56120 Interment Information Butterfield City Cemetery Address not given Butterfield, Minnesota, United States 56120 Luncheon Luncheon to follow interment at the church.