Eunice Ilene Nelson, 86

Eunice Ilene (Nylander) Nelson passed away at Lake View Care Center on July 24, 2006. She was 86 years old.

Eunice was born April 30, 1920, in Tioga County, N.D. She graduated from Alexander High School in North Dakota in 1936. After attending college, she went on to teach school at Twelve Mile School in a one-room schoolhouse for several years.

Eunice and her friends would frequently attend dances. She met Victor H. Nelson at one of the dances, and they married in 1942. They lived on the family farm 16 miles southeast of Williston, N.D., and began raising a family of five children.

In 1965, Eunice and Victor and family moved to Blaine, Minn. While living in Blaine, Eunice substitute-taught at the neighborhood grade school. They retired to the Bigfork area in 1980 to live near Eunice's sister, Audrey Holman, and brother, Bud Nylander, and their families.

Eunice loved teaching, music and dancing. Most of all, she loved being around family and friends, and particularly enjoyed her grandchildren.

Eunice is survived by her five children, Lyle Nelson of Pasadena, Calif., Ardis H?gg of Los Angeles, Gordon Nelson of Reno, Nev., Barry Nelson of Bigfork, and Vickie Perry of Reno, Nev.; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; her niece, Sharon Kinman; her nephews, Jim and Randy Holman; brother-in-law, Buck Holman; and sister-in-law, Marilyn (Nylander) Lloyd.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 27, at the Little Brown Church in Bigfork; with visitation beginning at 2 p.m.