Garnys E. Nelson, age 88, of Ottawa, Kansas, passed away Monday, Aug. 28, 2006, at the Ottawa Retirement Village in Ottawa, Kansas.

She was born Jan. 4, 1918, in Minot, N.D., the daughter of Andrew and Sophie (Olson) Nelsen. She grew up and graduated from Albert Lea High School in Albert Lea. She later graduated from the School of Cosmetology in Waterloo, Iowa.

On Oct. 8, 1939, she was married to Myron A. &8220;Mike&8221; Nelson at the home of her parents in Albert Lea. They shared nearly sixty-one years of marriage, before the death of her husband on Sept. 13, 2001.

She worked with her husband on the farm. They later moved to Ames, Iowa, along with their infant son, Jay, where Mike earned his doctor of veterinary medicine degree in 1949. She later worked as a secretary and bookkeeper for her husband&8217;s veterinarian practice in Alden, Wells and Freeborn, Minn. They later moved back to Duluth and then in 1976 moved to Fayetteville, Ark. They spent their retirement in Fairfield Bay, Ark., until moving to Ottawa in 1987.

She was a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Ottawa, N.A.R.F., Oasis Club, and the Order of the Eastern Star. She enjoyed playing bridge, traveling, cooking, sewing and needle point.

She is survived by her son Jay R. Nelson and his wife Karen of Brooksville, Fla.; a daughter Janet M. Stewart and her husband Paul of Olathe, Kan.; a sister Nita Jenson and her husband Phil of Albert Lea; a sister-in-law Hazel Nelsen of Duluth, Minn.; four grandchildren Todd Nelson and his wife Loma, Ryan Nelson and his wife Dorothy, Travis Stewart and Andrew Stewart; and one great-granddaughter Rachael Nelson.

Mrs. Nelson was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and three brothers Melvin, Elmer and Lloyd Nelsen.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2 at the Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home in Ottawa, Kan. Interment followed at the Highland Cemetery in Ottawa. The family received friends before the funeral service at 1 p.m. Saturday. Memorial contributions to Westminster Presbyterian Church and may be sent in care to the Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home, P.O. Box 14, Ottawa, KS, 66067.