April Nelson

APRIL MAE NELSON was born on May 23, 1952 in Monticello, Minnesota to Henry and Mae (Schroeder) Klinker. She was baptized in 1954 at St. Peter’s Church in Monticello. The family moved near Franklin, Minnesota where April spent most of her youth. She was confirmed at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Franklin, Minnesota. In 1970 she graduated from Franklin High School and continued her education at Willmar Area Vocational Institute (in Willmar, Minnesota), graduating in 1971 with a degree in cosmetology. She moved to Jasper, Minnesota and on October 29, 1977 she was united in marriage to James Nelson. In 1978 she began working at Lois Sorenson’s Beauty Salon, first in Jasper and then in Pipestone. In 1996 she started working at the Good Samaritan Society in Pipestone where she worked in the laundry department and the occasional hairdressing for the residents. After a time she took a job at Pizza Hut in Pipestone. She then decided that a career change was in order and began working at Hiawatha Manor until 2013 when health issues arose and she was forced to stop. Most recently she worked for Tom Bisson making deliveries. She officially “retired” in 2013 but she always said she wasn’t retired because she wasn’t an old lady yet. After a brief time of illness April entered the care of the Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone and then, on Thursday, May 20 she was transferred to the Pipestone County Medical Center where she passed away that day at the age of 68 years, 11 months, and 28 days.

April was a member of the Jasper Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jasper, Minnesota where she was on the church council. In her free time she enjoyed sewing, crocheting, collecting angels, and watching and feeding her birds. She will be remembered as a hard worker who you would rarely see sitting still.

April is lovingly remembered by her children, Erica (Jason Romes) Nelson of Sherwood, Arkansas, Morgan (Brianna Thode) Nelson of Jasper, Jon Nelson of Ihlen, Minnesota, and Todd Nelson of Jasper; step-children, Donavan (Shannon) Nelson of Elgin, Colorado, and Jeanette (Keith) Chapman of Bella Vista, Arkansas; seven grandchildren, Jordan, Jaden, Ashtyn, Cora, Ellie, Greyson, and Lita; three step-grandchildren, Zachery, Amanda, and Rachel; siblings, Joy (Bob) Boyum of Vadnas Heights, Minnesota, Sandra (Chuck) Like, and June Klinker of Minnetonka, Minnesota; two sisters-in-law, Rosie Klinker of Becker, Minnesota, and Jan Nelson of Mason City, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim; one son, Jesse Nelson; parents, Henry and Mae Klinker; brothers, Dale and Alan Klinker; and one sister, Sherry Woolhouse.