Lorraine Marget Nelson

Lorraine Marget Nelson, 96, passed away peacefully on Feb. 1, 2016 at her apartment at River Grand, Grand Rapids, Minn.

Born on Feb. 5, 1919, her parents were Stella McKenney Marget and Arthur Reynold Marget of Isanti, Minn. Her younger brother was Lawrence, and both were given nicknames by their father: Boots and Jack. She grew up working on their family farm and attended a one-room country school in Bradford Minn., where she met her future husband, Roy Joseph Nelson. Lorraine was afraid of heights and Roy loved to push her high up on the swings. She always said she married him to get even with him. After Roy came home from serving as a tank commander in Europe in World War II, he earned his private pilot license, so she loyally flew with him until their late 60s. Roy died in March 2014, just three months before their 75th wedding anniversary.

Lorraine graduated from Cambridge High School at age 16, and acted in school plays and was a cheerleader. Woolworth’s in downtown Minneapolis was her first employer, and then Dayton’s, where she worked in the hat department and payroll. She also was a model in the Dayton’s Tea Room for several years. Her love of hats for every occasion continued.

Roy and Lorraine started dating soon after she moved to Minneapolis. They were married June 3, 1939, and lived in St. Louis Park. They were parents of two daughters, Diane Marget Bedient (Butch) of Grand Rapids and Heather Nelson Schnitzer (Steve) of St. Louis Mo., born 19 years apart, so they lovingly raised two “only” children. Grandchildren are Holly Walsh and Liza Wishard, both of Grand Rapids, and Lynette Withington and Thomas Nelson Schnitzer, both of St. Louis Mo. Great-Grandchildren are Taylor Lorraine Walsh, Lily and Jean-Luc Roy Wishard, and Connor and Hailey Lorraine Withington.

In 1959, she and Roy moved to Cedar Falls to open a farmand- home supply store. Their grand opening was the same day as L& M Supply in Grand Rapids, Minn. She worked as secretary, buyer and clerk and continued when they moved to Charles City to open their second store and then a branch store in New Hampton.

They spent several winters on Longboat Key, Fla. and then built a home in Mesa, Ariz. Lorraine spent weeks at the Mormon Library tracing her mother’s family back to the Revolutionary War and then the Mayflower. She loved to travel and visited all 50 states, later looking for ancestors’ gravestones in Ohio and especially Maine, where they had come from England and Scotland.

Retirement was in their home on Deer Lake, Deer River, Minn.

Lorraine enjoyed her time on the lake and being with her friends of the Deer Lake Association. Her North Woods garden and her pansies flourished. She passed on her love of nature, exploration, and crafts (especially with seashells, rocks, driftwood and feathers) to her daughters and grandchildren. Any outing could be an adventure with her. She also was a 40-plus year member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, devoted to raising funds for women’s education. Lorraine was preceded in death by her husband, parents, brother, and nephew. She is survived by her daughters, grandchildren, nieces, and nephew. She will be remembered as a very positive, compassionate, fun-loving woman and missed by her family and friends.

A celebration of her life was held at Rowe Funeral Home on her birthday, Feb. 5, at 3 p.m., with visitation one hour before the service. The Rev. Megan Crouch officiated. Inurnment will be at a later date at Nicholas Cemetery, Bradford, Minn. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Grand Rapids, Minn., or the P.E.O. Sisterhood, PCE Fund (Program for Continuing Education).

Thank you to the wonderful caregivers at River Grand for all their TLC to Lorraine and Roy.

To sign the online guestbook or send condolences, visit www.

rowefuneralhomeandcrematory.com.