Patricia Jeanette Nelson was born at Bruce, SD on December 21, 1934 to Vern W. and Blanche A. (Sedig) Johnson. She went home to be with her Lord and Savior on February 25, 2008, at the age of 73 years, 2 months and 4 days, after her battle with cancer. She attended school in Bruce until her junior year in high school when the family moved to Iroquois in 1950. She graduated from Iroquois High School and attended St. Johns Nurses Training in Huron. She met and married Gene L. Nelson in 1953. Three children were born to this union: Kent, Tracy and Sheila. They lived in Miller, where she worked at the ACS office. In 1955 they moved to Gann Valley to the family ranch. In 1957 they moved to Doland and ran the lumber yard. The couple moved to Beresford in 1964 after purchasing the Beresford Republic Newspaper. Pat became a member of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1964 and worked as an alcoholism counselor for 22 years at Keystone and Turning Point from 1976 until her retirement in 1998. Gene and Pat spent many winters as snowbirds in Mesa, AZ. After losing her husband in 1999, Pat continued to live in Beresford and spent her winters in her new home in Lake Havasua, AZ. In 2004 she moved to Madison, SD. What best describes Pat is she loved to cook and appreciated a good meal. She was an excellent piano player and used to play in a band. She enjoyed quilting, especially with her sister. She loved to play golf but was unable to play in her later years. She loved her Red Wing collection and her yearly trips to the convention. She was an avid crossword wiz and a very good bridge player. Her favorite TV programs to watch were golf and baseball. She enjoyed her visits to Minnesota to spend time with her sisters grandchildren. She treasured her visit from the Johnsons one Christmas Eve. She enjoyed her work as an alcoholism counselor as she helped many people in her lifetime overcome this disease as well as herself. She appreciated all her new friends in Madison and her dear old friends in Beresford, Mesa, and Lake Havasua. Most of all she loved her grandchildren with all her heart. Pat remains deeply loved by those who survive her: Two daughters: Tracy (Steve) Stack, Kernville, CA and Sheila (Scott) White, Madison, SD; sister Margaret (Marvin) Nedian, Paynesville, MN; step-sister Lorraine (Phil) Westling, Mesa, AZ; two sisters-in-law: Karen Wanamaker, Beresford, SD and Nancy (Gaylon) Trygstad, Dell Rapids, SD; son-in-law Dale Erickson, Beresford, SD: five grandchildren: Jake Erickson, Bloomington, MN, Micah Erickson, Beresford, SD, Whitney White, Brookings, SD and Chad and Mitchell White, Madison, SD; and many other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Preceding her death were her parents, husband Gene, brother Russell Johnson, son Kent Nelson, grandson Kent Erickson, brother-in-law Jack Nelson, and faithful companions Eddy and Baylee. A memorial service will be held at 1:00PM, Saturday, March 1, 2008 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Beresford, SD. A committal service will be held following a lunch at the Beresford Cemetery.