Judith "Judy" Nelson, 74, Kongsberg, formerly of Garrison, died on Saturday, December 12, 2020 in Max.  Funeral services will be held on Friday at 10:30 am at Peace Lutheran Church in Garrison.  Burial will be at the Garrison City Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Thursday from 3 to 6 pm at Thompson Funeral Home in Garrison.

Judy was born to Gordon Arnold Nielsen and Mae Eleanor (Johnson) Nielsen on May 11, 1946 at Deaconess Hospital in Minneapolis, MN.  She was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis on July 14, 1956 and confirmed at Trinity on October 8, 1964.  Judy married Paul Reuben Nelson on March 16, 1965.  Paul was still in the United States Marine Corp at the time so after a short honeymoon they returned to Barstow, California where Paul was stationed.  It was there that their first child, Cindy was born.  After Paul was discharged from the Marines, they returned to Minnesota, where they were blessed with a son, Brian.

Paul began to study for the ministry and graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1981.  After graduation Paul was called to be the pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Garrison and St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Max.  They moved to Garrison in 1981.  During their time in Garrison, Cindy married Danny Mautz, and blessed the with four wonderful grandchildren.  Brian married Sloan Schaffer and blessed them with two wonderful step-grandchildren.  They have since been blessed with three great-grandchildren.  After Paul's retirement, they moved to Kongsberg, where Paul continued to serve St. John Lutheran Church.

Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Gordon and Mae Nielsen, brother, Douglas Nielson and his wife Sally, and sisters Nancey (Ted) Saumers, Marianne (James) Henke, and Gail (Roger) Martinsen.

She is survived by her husband, Rev. Paul Nelson; daughter, Cindy (Danny) Mautz; son, Brian (Sloan) Nelson, grandchildren, Lauren (Jon) Krause, Macy (Zoda) Morgan, Kristina Mautz, Jacob Mautz; step-grandchildren, Courtney and Kellen Krebsbach, and great-grandchildren, Shawn Mautz, Cora and Jaxon Morgan.  She is also survived by her sisters, Carolyne McHugh, Joy (Greg) Carson, and Jean (Doug) Mulville, and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to the Lutheran Hour Ministries or the Garrison-Max Ambulance.