Beverly H. Nelson

Beverly Henderson Nelson, artist and educator, our beloved wife, mother, sister, and Gogo, passed away on July 21, 2017 in Phoenix after a too-quick battle with ovarian cancer.

Bev was born on May 2, 1944 in Rochester, Minn. Her family moved frequently, bringing her to Mississippi, Indiana, Illinois and Panama before settling in back in Minnesota.

In the clarinet section of the Central Junior High School band, she met the love of her life, Roger, with whom she recently celebrated 50 years of marriage. They were partners in love and work, in travel and adventure, and they provided a quiet example to all who crossed their paths of joyful, steadfast parenting.

After graduating from John Marshall High School, Bev attended DePauw University and graduated from the University of Minnesota. She taught elementary school for four years, and then transitioned to early-arts education, sharing her love of painting and art history with hundreds of children over many decades. Bev created and implemented Rochester School District’s first Art Appreciation curriculum.

In recent years Bev focused on developing her own art, becoming an accomplished watercolor artist. She studied in Greece, Italy and Spain and was featured in several local exhibitions. Her beautiful works brighten the walls of many rooms.

Bev was preceded in death by her mother and father, Ann and Lowell Henderson, and her sister, Margaret Smalling. She is survived by her husband, Roger Nelson; her children, Geoff and Sarah Nelson and Aimee and Jeff Van Straaten; her grandchildren, Riley, Maximo, Elizabeth, and Brooke; her sisters, Marilyn Gehrman, Sue Henderson, and Aricia Shaffer; her many beloved nieces and nephews; and her very close family of friends.

In lieu of flowers the family requests your support for the “Beverly Nelson Arts Education Donor Advised Fund,” which aims to enrich the lives of elementary school children in the Rochester area through art appreciation and art education. Checks can be made out to “Rochester Area Foundation” with a note of the fund name in the memo and sent to Rochester Area Foundation, 12 Elton Hills Dr. NW, Rochester, MN 55901. Donations can also be made online through rochesterarea.org/ (click Donate and then select her fund from the list).

Bev’s greatest masterpiece is the swathe of joy left by her caring personality. The colors of the world’s palette have dimmed with her passing, but we all shine brighter having known her.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Sept. 2, 11 a.m., at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Rochester, Minn.