Arleen E. Nelson, 70

Beloved wife, mother, daughter and grandmother Arleen E. Nelson 'went home to be with our Lord' on Friday, Sept. 26, 2008, after a short battle with cancer. She was just nearing her 71st birthday.

Arleen was born on Oct. 9, 1937, to Kenneth and Edna Conn in Whitefish. Arleen received her education in Whitefish and graduated in 1957 at Whitefish High School. While in high school, she worked various jobs: the old Whitefish Bakery, the bowling alley on Central Avenue and Gordy's Drive-In.

After graduating, she worked as a telephone operator at Pacific Power and Light in Kalispell until Sept. 10, 1960, when she and Norman Nelson were married in Whitefish at the Methodist Church. After helping her husband pursue his education in Washington, they returned to Whitefish where they continued to live and raise their three children.

In the early '80s, Arleen returned to work as a sales clerk in the then-Excel Bakery in Whitefish, until she retired in 2000. A tireless volunteer, she loved helping friends and relatives by running errands or just visiting and comforting them.

She was active in the Whitefish Methodist Church and for a while at the Whitefish Senior Center. Also, she was president of the North Valley Hospital Auxiliary the past three years, where her primary interests were working on the scholarship committee and keeping an up-to-date record of the North Valley Hospital activities, changes, etc. She was nominated the last two years for Volunteer of the Year.

Her main interests were, second to her family, her friends, classmates and community. She worked tirelessly on every class reunion that was held for them and kept in constant touch with friends through cards and conversations via phone or visits.

Arleen was preceded in death by father, Kenneth Conn; and sister, Kaye Harris.

She is survived by husband, Norman Nelson, of Whitefish; three children, Craig A. Nelson of Kalispell, Kevin S. Nelson of Brier, Wash., and Carrie Jo Gendron of Monroe, Wash.; also, by her mother, Edna Conn, of Whitefish; a brother, Dr. Gordon Conn, of Marysville, Wash.; eight grandchildren, three nieces and four nephews.

Her passing is an overwhelming loss to her family, friends, and especially her husband. All who knew Arleen, loved Arleen and were touched in some way by her kindness and selflessness. She will be missed by so many.

A celebration of Arleen's life will be held at 2 p.m. today, Oct. 1, at the Whitefish United Methodist Church.