Kathryn Nelson

Kathryn Nelson

June 15, 1950 – May 11, 2011
Grinnell, Iowa

Visitation: 12 noon to 5 pm on Friday May 13, 2011 at Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell, Iowa
Funeral Service: 10:30 a.m., Saturday May 14, 2011 at Carman Center of the Mayflower Community
Interment: following the funeral service. May 14, 2011 at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell, Iowa

Kathryn Nelson was born June 15, 1950, in Birmingham, Alabama to Harold and Opal Nelson. Kathryn’s father, Harold, was a professor of business and taught in Birmingham, Alabama, Terre Hautte, Indiana, Fayette and Marshalltown, Iowa. Kathy has said her father gave her a love of teaching and her mother taught her that it was okay for women to work (her mother was a professional secretary and worked at the Grinnell College Library.) After graduation from Grinnell College, Kathy taught high school science in Greenfield, Iowa, and biology in Hannibal-LaGrange University in Hannibal, Missouri. Later she received a MA in library science and joined the library staff at Marycrest College in Davenport. She was on the library staff of Millikan University in Decatur, Illinois.

Kathy and her cats, Snowball and Cocoa, moved to Grinnell in 2002 when multiple sclerosis forced early retirement. She has resided at Mayflower Community since 2003.

Kathy is survived by her half sister, June Fike, who lives in Kansas, an aunt and several cousins. She looked forward to their letters, pictures and the flower corsages which June sent on special occasions.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Memorials may be directed to the Mayflower Human Needs Fund or to First Baptist Church of Grinnell.