Florence  Gertrude Nelson

Florence Gertrude (Sue) Johnson Nelson, 82, of Missoula, passed away on Friday, June 24, 2016 at the family residence. Sue was born on April 21, 1934 in Santa Monica, CA to the late Robert Dean Johnson and Mary Gertrude Bormann Johnson. Sue grew up in Dayton, Ohio and graduated from Fairview High School in 1952. Sue married Warren Allan Nelson on November 24, 1961 and together they raised three children Julie, John and Dan in Dayton, OH and in Shreveport and Baton Rouge, LA.

After raising their children, Sue and Warren moved to Dallas, TX where they worked until retiring to their beloved lake house on Cedar Creek Lake in Gun Barrel City, TX. Sue often described having three distinct chapters of life after retirement – a chapter in Texas with son Dan and his family, a chapter in Jacksonville, FL with son John and his family and this final chapter in Missoula, MT with daughter Julie and her husband.

Sue was best known for her beautiful smile and a warm loving heart which was always open wide. She was a devoted wife; a wise, loving and nurturing mother and grandmother; and a trusted and competent colleague during her long careers in banking and in the oil and chemical industries. She was also known as “Grandma Nelson” and touched many, many young lives in her final career as a reading tutor and teacher. Sue was an avid reader, loved to sew, quilt, and craft. She said she felt most happy and peaceful when she was near water; whether that was at Lake Laramie in Minster, OH, at her Texas lake house, on the beaches in Florida or on the banks of the rivers and creeks of Montana.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Bill Johnson. Sue is survived by her husband Warren; two sons, John Nelson (Nancy) of Jacksonville, FL and Danny Nelson of Watauga, TX; one daughter, Julie Cannon and husband, Allan Mozingo of Missoula, MT; two brothers, Dick Johnson (Wanda) of Brookville, OH and David Johnson (Barbara) of West Milton, OH; one sister, Pat Lackmond (Dick) of Green Mountain Falls, CO; two grandchildren, Abigail Nelson and Chelsea Nelson; step-granddaughter, Meagan; and four great-grandchildren, Joshua, Alexa, Nathaniel and Rhianna.

A private memorial service and celebration of life was held in Missoula on Monday, June 27, 2016 at the home of Julie Cannon and Allan Mozingo.

Sue’s family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to her many friends and extended family who helped make her life so very rich and joyful. In addition, the family would like to thank the entire staff at Hestia In-Home Support and the Partner’s hospice nurses who made her final days peaceful and more bearable for the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate memorial contributions to your local libraries in honor of Sue’s love of reading and the thousands of hours she spent ensuring young children have access to books and learn to read.