Patricia “Pat” A. Nelson, 91 of Gladstone, passed away on Thursday, May 14, 2020 at OSF St. Francis Hospital surrounded by her family. She was born on March 5, 1929 in DePere, Wisconsin, daughter of the late Peter and Agnes Peterson. Her family moved to the Perkins area when she was in the fourth grade and she graduated from Perkins High School in 1947. She then attended Cloverland Commercial College in Escanaba, where she met her future husband, Gordon Nelson.
There was a piano at the college and Gordon played for some of the students. Pat told Gordon that she liked his music, and that was the start of a romance that lasted 71 years.
Pat and Gordon were married on December 28, 1948 in Perkins, at the St. Joseph Church, after which they spent three years in Racine Wisconsin, both working for the Massey Harris Tractor Company. They returned to Gladstone in 1952, where Gordon was employed by the Harnischfeger Corporation.
In 1955, Pat helped Gordon design and build their current home. She was an excellent homemaker and seamstress, making nearly all of her children’s clothing when they were younger. She loved gardening and never failed to have a fine garden every year. Reading and crocheting were two of her favorite pastimes and she made many afghans and other creations for her children, relatives and friends. Like her husband, she was a Packer Backer.
In 1963, Pat and Gordon opened Gordon’s Studio, specializing in candid weddings and senior portraits. Pat helped thousands of customers, and her tireless, behind -the-scenes paperwork helped make the studio a remarkable success in its thirty year history.
Patricia is survived by her husband Gordon; her son James “Jim” Nelson, and her daughters, Joan (Richard) Maatta and Lois (Dan) Corcoran; her sisters, Theresa (Adelore) Gerou, Frances (Paul) Hicks and Eunice (Jim) Vandecaveye; and grandchildren, Megan (Donald) Wallenfang, Natalie Nelson, and Kelly Corcoran.
She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Margaret Peterson and Louise (Robert) Richards, and brother, Joseph Peterson.
Mass of Christian Burial was held at All Saints Catholic Church or Pat and she was laid to rest in the Fernwood Cemetery in Gladstone.
The Nelson family was assisted by the Skradski Funeral Home in Gladstone.