Sandra "Sandy" Nelson
Dates
January 2, 1950 - April 26, 2022Obituary
Sandra “Sandy” Nelson, 72, of Mitchell, SD, after a lengthy hospital stay and a long courageous battle, passed away late Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls surrounded by her loving children. Funeral services will be 11:30 AM Saturday, April 30, at First Lutheran Church in Mitchell. Burial will be at Graceland Cemetery in Mitchell. Visitation will be Friday from 5-7:00 PM at the church. Arrangements by Bittner Funeral Chapel.
Sandra Kay Nelson was born January 2, 1950, in Parkston, SD to Carl Christian Larson and Helen Waunita (Thurman) Larson. The family resided on the family farm North of Ethan, SD. Sandy went to a one-room country school for eight years, and then went on to graduate from Ethan High School in 1968. After her father passed away when she was 12, Helen sold the family farm and moved to Mitchell. Sandy attended school at Mitchell Area Vocational Technical School where she received her nursing degree. Her first job was at Methodist Hospital where she worked for 10 years as a nurse. She then went to work at Delaney Clinic/Avera Health where she worked for 42 years as a nurse with Dr. Margallo, whom she adored. Sandy had a passion for caring for others and always put others first. She was still working part-time up until a month into her recent hospitalization. Although Sandy suffered for many years with health issues, she never once did complain.
She was a proud mother of three children and grandmother to TRIPLETS! She enjoyed her weekly Wednesday morning coffee with her best friend, sister Phyllis Mutziger, and niece Carla Bender at Fanny Horner’s. She was an active member of First Lutheran Church her entire life, her sorority group Beta Sigma Phi, and volunteered time with her husband with Mitchell Exchange Club. Sandy was also a Mitchell Kernel Basketball fanatic and enjoyed attending the state tournaments.
Sandy is survived by her husband, Milton Nelson of Mitchell; sons, Jason (Tiffany) of Rapid City, SD and Elliot (Amy) of La Crosse, WI; daughter, Chelsea (Travis) Dagen; grandchildren, Preslee, Maddix, and Jaxon; sister, Phyllis (David) of Mitchell; brother, Ronald Larson of Fremont, NE; and sister-in-law, Rose Larson of Sioux Falls. She is also survived by many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Sandy was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Helen Larson; brothers, Larry and Carl; and her first husband, Allen Thury.
Visitation(s)
Friday, April 29, 2022
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
First Lutheran Church
411 N Duff St
Mitchell, SD 57301
Service
Saturday, April 30, 2022
11:30 AM
First Lutheran Church
411 N Duff St
Mitchell, SD 57301
Cemetery
Graceland CemeteryMitchell, SD