Obit: Nelson, Ila  (1928 - 2011)

Contact: Audrey Roedl

Email: audero@powerweb.net

Surnames: Nelson, Smith, Lenhart, James

----Source: The Loyal TRG  (Loyal, Clark County, Wis. 16 Feb. 2011)

Nelson, Ila  (27 APRIL 1928-07 FEB 2011)

Ila Mae (Smith) Nelson, 82, Graham, Wash., went to be with her heavenly father on Monday, Feb. 7, 2011. A memorial service will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25, at Calvary Community Church, Sumner, Wash. Rev. Mark and grandson, Ben Lenhart will officiate.

Ila Mae Smith was born on April 27, 1928, in Loyal. She received her education and graduated from Loyal High School in 1946. She graduated from Free Methodist College in Wessington Springs, S. D., in 1948. On Oct. 23, 1948, she married Theodore "Ted" Nelson of McCall,Idaho, where they lived for two years, before moving to the west coast. They lived in the Kenmore/Bothell area of Washington before moving to Auburn, Sumner and Puyallup. She taught music at Rainier State School before opening a group home for persons with physical and mental disabilities. In 2002, she moved to Graham with her family and took care of one of the ladies from the group home until November 2009. She was always involved in many church activities, playing the piano and the accordion.

Survivors include four children, Kenneth (Elizabeth) Nelson, Caldwell, Idaho, Mary Beth (Floyd) Lenhart, Grahman, David Nelson, Grahman, and Martha Kay (Marvin) James, Bonney Lake, Wash.; 12 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; one brother, Myron Smith, Arkansas; two sisters, Darlene Ystad, Spanaway, Wash., and Carla Lane, Dennison, Texas; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband and one grandson.