Elizabeth H. "Bette" Nelson

About

University of Kansas Roy J. Wasson High School

Elizabeth Nelson Obituary

Elizabeth H. "Bette" Nelson, a resident of Colorado Springs since 1946, passed away on February 10, 2008, at the age of 95. Elizabeth was born on August 17, 1912 at Osage City, Kansas, the daughter of the late Amos R. and Waita C. Joslyn Hinshaw. Bette was a retired school teacher. She began her teaching career in Bunker Hill and other schools in Kansas, moved to Westwood High in Denver, where she met and dated the principal, Neut Nelson. They were married May 26, 1945, in Longmont. Bette continued her career in Colorado Springs at North Junior and retired from Wasson High School. Bette is remembered for her inspirational quotations written neatly on her teaching blackboard and for her unique and sometimes surprising earrings. She taught mathematics, Latin, and some of the earliest computer science classes in Colorado Springs high schools. She was a graduate of University of Kansas and a longtime member of the KU Alumni Association. Bette was a member of the Alpha Delta Kappa Teaching Sorority (ADK), the Order of the Eastern Star Centennial Chapter # 58, and Phi Beta Kappa. Bette was also a long-time member of the First Congregational Church in Colorado Springs. She enjoyed knitting, needlepoint, working crossword puzzles, and truly loved many different arts and crafts. She was an avid reader. She was always a gracious hostess to friends and family and was famous for always having cookies on hand. Her Christmas cookies and Swedish rye bread were and are so memorable. She is survived by her two sons, Karl (Sandy) Nelson of Lakewood, Colorado and Kent (Dee) Nelson of Colorado Springs; five grand children: Bradley Nelson, Amy Nelson, Kirsten Nelson, MacKenna Nelson and Derek Nelson; four great grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild; a niece, Judy (Jay) Lamb and a nephew, Russ Hinshaw. She was preceded in death by her loving, loyal, and devoted husband of 59 years, Elmer "Neut" Nelson, and by a brother and his wife, Floyd and Talley Hinshaw. Memorial services will be at 3:00 p.m. on March 15, 2008 at the First Congregational Church, 20 E. St. Vrain St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903. The family requests that memorial donations be made to Colorado Talking Book Library (180 Sheridan Blvd, Denver, CO 80226-8097), to the ADK Sorority's scholarship for aspiring teachers (c/o Barbara Remy, 7235 Baker Rd, C.S., CO 80908), or to the First Congregational Church.

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Published by The Gazette from Mar. 9 to Mar. 10, 2008.

Memories and Condolences
for Elizabeth Nelson

4 Entries

Walt Way

March 17, 2008

It was a great pleasure to get to know, however briefly, Bette Nelson. With family members, I visited the home in Colorado Springs several times. Bette always greeted us warmly, offered coffee and cookies, seated us, and we all conversed freely about a variety of subjects.

My wife is a Nelson, Neut's (not Newt, as he made clear) "first cousin once removed," as she told him. He got quite a kick out of that definition. As I got to know them, Neut honored me by declaring me "an honorary Swede." We were saddened by his death, and now Bette's. They will be missed by all of us who got to know them.

Respectfully,

Walt Way

Judy Way

March 17, 2008

I first met Bette many years ago when my family and I (mother, sister Suzy and her family, brother Tommy, my husband Walt and son David) visited her and Neut during the Christmas holidays. She was so sweet, friendly, and welcoming as she included all of us in conversation, and was such a thoughtful hostess as she served us coffee and her delicious cookies. I have to admit that she reminded me of a perfect, real-life Mrs. Santa Claus!

When we visited her and Neut on subsequent visits, she was always so much fun to talk to. I recall,for example, how interested and helpful she was when she, Neut, my husband Walt, and I did research together on a Nelson family history that I was writing and how she told us interesting stories about their trip to Sweden where they met relatives and even saw the old family home near Stehag.

I also remember with particular fondness our conversations about teaching since my husband, son, and I have all been educators, and about Topeka since we lived there years ago. (In fact we and Bette lived in Wakarusa, just south of Topeka, at one time.) Bette was valedictorian at Topeka High School where two of our grandsons graduated. The school is located in the district where my husband was Director of Secondary Education. (What a nice coincidence these tidbits were to discover!)

It was such a pleasure to know Bette; she will be missed by all of us.

Sincerely,

Judy Way

nick werle

March 10, 2008

Sad when these good people who are teachers of slip away. They are the backbone of society! She looks like she was a lovely person.

Kathy Hunt

March 9, 2008

I had Mrs. Nelson as a math teacher at Wasson. I'm thinking I was about 16 years old at the time. She was a very nice lady. I do remember her beautiful penmanship and interesting earrings. Thoughts go out to her family.

Sincerely,
Kathy(Maloney) Hunt

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