Obit: Nelson, Josephine (1925 - 2013)

Contact: Audrey Roedl
Email:audrey@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
 
Surnames: Nelson, Smrecek, Hanson,

----Source: The Loyal TRG (Loyal, Clark County, WI) 26 June 2013

Nelson, Josephine (09 June 1925, 03 June 2013

Josephine M. “Jo” (Smrecek) Nelson, 87, Richfield, Minn., died on Monday, June 3, 2013. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Friday. June 7, at the Catholic Church of St. Peter in Richfield. Burial took place in Sunset Memorial Cemetery in St. Anthony, Minn.

Josephine Smrecek was born on June 9, 1925, 0n the fmily farm near Willard, to John and Eva Smrecek. She attended North Mound School, and graduated from Greenwood High School in 1943. Shortly after graduation, she moved to Minneapolis, Minn., where she worked at Powers department store. She married Art Hanson in 1947 and settled down in Richfield, Minn. Josephine raised their three boys on her own after the couple separated in 1958. She persevered by working various jobs until 1962, when she began working at the Richfield school system as a cook, and eventually assistant head cook at the high School. She married again in 1975 to Arthur Nelson. They watched their blended family grow and prosper.
They eventually retired, traveled, played golf, took up square dancing, and enjoyed life. Her beloved Arthur passed away in 1996. Josephine also enjoyed cooking, gardening, playing Yahtze, Scrabble, and cards, going to the casino, and of course, family reunions. She will always be remembered for her giggle, sense of humor and teasing.

Survivors include three brothers, John (Florence) Smrecek, Ralph (Betty) Smrecek, and Tom (Marlene) Smrecek; two sisters, Wilma Flaherty and MaryAnn (Chuck) Brinkman; a brother-in-law, Howard Fries; a sister-in-law, Marion Smrecek;a blended family of six children, Thomas (Mary) Hanson, Gerald (Debbie) Hanson, Daryl (Carol) Nelson; Patricia (Jim) Matczynski and Steven (Laura) Nelson; 15 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Arthur Nelson; a daughter, Nancy Nelson; a son, David Nelson; a brother, Daniel Smrecek and two sisters, Margaret Fildes and Theresa Fries.