Helen Marie Nelson, 95, of Galena, IL, passed away on Monday, December 30, 2013, at the Galena-Stauss Senior Care Community.

Funeral Services will be at 10:30 A/M, Saturday, January 4, 2014, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 513 S. Bench Street, Galena, with Rev. Stacy Cavanaugh officiating. Friends may call at the church after 9 A/M, Saturday. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, at the intersection of U S Route 20 and Gear Street, Galena.

Helen (Olson) Nelson, daughter of Lydia (Hamlin) Olson and Nels Olson, was born on December 10, 1918, in Chicago, IL. She married Willard George Nelson on September 7, 1940, at Grace Baptist Church in Chicago. He died on September 24, 1996, in Galena.

The couple met in Chicago in the mid-1930s when Willard's Aunt, Esther Nelson, gave Helen piano lessons and asked him to drive her home. Eventually, after Helen and Willard's two children graduated from college, Helen taught piano lessons from their home in Wilmette, IL, and from Lyon & Healy Company music stores.

Helen was a 1939 graduate of Moser School of Business in Chicago, and was employed over the years as a secretary in various businesses including a law book publishing company, the Evanston Board of Education, Encyclopedia Brittanica's film division, a retail furniture company, and in the funeral business, all in the Chicago metropolitan area. She also worked as a church organist for about 50 years, both in the Chicago metropolitan area and in Galena, after she retired as a secretary and moved to Galena with Willard in 1977. For many years she enjoyed participating in Galena Christmas concerts as the organist for portions of those services.

Helen was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church where over the years she served in various capacities not only as organist, but also as a deaconess, and as a member of the church life and worship committees.

Whatever the church, Helen counted it a sacred priviledge and a blessing to play the organ or the piano and to hear others singing along. She sang in various choirs, including the Chicago Swedish Choral Club. In 1968, she went on tour with the club to Scandinavia. A devoted grandmother, she also felt honored in her late 70's and into her 80's to play the organ at the wedding ceremonies of three grandchildren and to play the calliope on a Mississippi River paddlewheeler for another grandchild's wedding reception.

Surviving are her beloved children, Beverly (Wesley) Mellskog, of Galena, IL, and Clifford Nelson, of Rochester, MN; five grandchildren, Pam (David) Vanden Berg, of Erie, CO, Michael (Katie) Mellskog, of Eagan, MN, Cathy (Tom) Wolfenden, of rural Warkworth, New Zealand, Kristina Nelson, of Bellingham, WA, and Kimberly Nelson, of Mount Vernon, WA; nine great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband; her sisters, Phyllis Nelson, Harriet Lewis, and Janet Boone; her sister-in-law, Phyllis Jameson; her brothers-in-law, Ted Nelson and Patrick Boone III; and two nephews, Thomas and Randolph Lewis.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent in Helen Nelson's name to the Non-profit, Galena Area Emergency Service District, 217 Summit Street, Galena, IL 61036.

Finally, the family "thanks" Dr. Mary Koenigs and staff at the Galena-Stauss Senior Care Community, and Galena-Stauss Assisted Living, for giving Helen steadfast, gentle care at the end of her long and faith-filled life.

Online condolences may be left at www.millerfhed.com.