Phyllis Nelson

Phyllis Nelson, 85, of Northwood, North Dakota died Saturday, July 3, 2010 at the Deaconess Health Center in Northwood.

Funeral Services will be 11:00 am, Thursday, July 8, 2010 at the Northwood Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northwood with burial in Northwood City Cemetery.

Visitation will be on Wednesday at the Bilden Funeral Home for 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm with a 7:00 pm Prayer Service and one hour prior to services in the church.

Phyllis Lillian Hammer was born April 14, 1925 at her farm home in Stokes Township, Roseau, Minnesota, to Henry and Martha Hammer. Phyllis grew up in this area and graduated from Badger High School in 1942. Phyllis was united in marriage to James Nelson on June 8, 1944 while he was on short leave from the Navy. They lived for a short time in Haywood, California after they were married and then Phyllis returned to Badger while James was stationed overseas. James and Phyllis lived in the Badger area where all six of their children were born. In 1959, work for James brought them to Michigan, ND before settling in Northwood in 1960.
While raising a large family, Phyllis worked in various roles in Northwood. She was a nurse aide at the Nursing Home, worked for a time at the Johnson Store with James, the Northwood Gleaner, Ostlie Oil and spent 19 years at the Northwood State Bank prior to her retirement. Phyllis was an active member of the Northwood Evangelical Lutheran Church and a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.
Phyllis enjoyed the life and beauty of the outdoors and spent much time working the soil and caring for her flower gardens. Phyllis' gardens were admired by many and will be a lasting memory of her for friends and family.
Phyllis respected the simple but great values given her by her parents and shared them often with her own family: always be honest, be willing to help others, material "things" will not make you happy, treat others as you would want them to treat you, be kind, to love family but to know your Lord and love him most of all. Phyllis lived these values and demonstrated them to all who knew her.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her husband, James, her son, Mark, her parents, a brother Lloyd, sisters Eleanor, Irene, Eunice, and infant sister Verna. She is survived by daughters, Carole Glomstad and Linda White, Grand Forks ND, Betsy (Kim) Bjoralt, Fargo ND, and sons, Jeffrey (Diane), Northwood, ND, Mike, Grand Forks, ND and sister, Theresa Alberg, Thief River Falls, MN. Phyllis is also survived by 17 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Phyllis was a quiet woman, who enjoyed with her husband a simple life and love of her family. Together their faith in the Lord was their strength and demonstrated in the kindness to all she knew. She will always be loved and forever missed.

The Bilden Funeral Home of Northwood is assisting the family with arrangements.