[Nfbmt] Flo Nelson Also Passed

Sat Dec 1 19:08:02 UTC 2012

I didn't spend as much time with Flo as I did with Lois but I'll miss her too. She was another great person who really added to many people's lives. Linda

---------- Original Message ----------
From: Dan Burke <burke.dall at gmail.com>
To: NFB of Montana Discussion List <nfbmt at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [Nfbmt] Flo Nelson Also Passed
Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2012 10:15:20 -0700

Greetings -

I attended Lois DuPUis' memorial service in Polson yesterday. In
talking with her daughter Anita after the service, I learned tht Flo
Nelson passed away just a week or so before Lois.  Flo and Lois were
great friends, and Flo was the long-time president of the Lelia
Proctor Memorial Chapter in Kalispell.

Both of these women were great souls And I miss them both.

****

Elon Florine �Flo� Gilcrease Nelson, 93 - Daily Inter Lake: Obituaries

Elon Florine �Flo� Gilcrease Nelson, 93

Posted: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 4:16 pm

Elon Florine �Flo� Gilcrease Nelson passed away Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012,
surrounded by family, at the home of her granddaughter Lori Rainwater
in Bigfork.

Born June 29, 1919, in Cottonwood, Ariz., to Elon Catherine Stewart
Gilcrease (age 19) and Dan Edward Gilcrease (age 38), Flo spent her
youth in the Cottonwood
area. As the eldest of five children, Flo quickly became primary
caretaker for her siblings.

Flo loved school and in spite of numerous family moves always found
teachers who mentored and encouraged her. She eagerly took to the
books and was promoted
two grades during elementary school. She became the first in her
family to graduate from high school, which was not an easy task for a
girl who cleaned,
cooked and baby-sat for other families in order to live close to a school.

Upon graduation, Flo�s goal was to become a registered nurse. However,
her dream took a different direction when she was introduced to a
charmingly electric
guy from Montana � Joe Nelson. As they both related at their 70th
anniversary in 2009, they were destined to be together to take on the
world. At age 18,
newlywed Flo boarded a bus bound for Kalispell, and as she's said many
times, �Never looked back!�

Flo took on and embraced diverse roles in her life, all with one
common theme � work hard and make a difference wherever you can. She
was known to speak
her mind and refreshingly did so in a direct no-nonsense way. She was
quick to offer solutions, as well as point out just why something
needed improvement.
Whether someone was choosing a career, planting a flower garden or
naming a grandchild, Flo freely offered her opinion.

With a great work ethic, Flo�s accomplishments were many. She took on
numerous professional, as well as volunteer, roles including writer,
office manager
and Nobel Grand of the Rebekahs. Her involvement with the Montana
Association for the Blind included serving as president of the
Flathead Chapter for several
years.

She loved dancing with Joe, a good game of cards, gardening, genealogy
and especially traveling with Joe in their motor home. She was most
proud of her
children, and their children, and the impact that her life partner,
Joe, had on Bigfork, Flathead County and the state of Montana. Joe
relied on this lifetime
partnership in all his endeavors.

A lifelong goal was realized at the age of 91 when she published her
first book, an autobiography, �Stories I Remember.� She had recently
finished a book
about Joe's life.

Flo was preceded in death by Joe; her sister, Doris (Gilcrease)
Bosick; and brother, Dan Gilcrease.

She is survived by three children, Gerri Johnson and Ron of Palm
Springs, Calif., Joe Jr., and Karen of Petersburg, Alaska, and
Harriett Brittenham and
Marvin of Parker, Colo. Also surviving are seven grandchildren, 19
great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild, with another
expected in March.
Also surviving Flo are her two brothers, Tad and Bert Gilcrease; and
sister-in-law, Ann, and Dan Gilcrease of Arizona.

For the past several years Flo and Joe have been blessed to have at
their side eldest granddaughter, Lori Rainwater. Lori moved from
Tacoma, Wash., to
live close and help take care of Grandpa Joe and Gram. The Nelson
family is deeply indebted to Lori for the love, patience, commitment,
enthusiasm and
joy that she so freely gave to Joe and Flo.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 23, at Buffalo Hill
Funeral Home with the Rev. Ronnie Pierce officiating, and all are
invited to a reception
hosted by the Bigfork Fire Department at 1:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in
Flo�s name to the Bigfork Fire Department.

�Joe and Flo � Meant to be together long ago, are together again.�
-- 
Dan Burke, President
The National Federation of the Blind of Montana

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