Laurel "Jean" Nelson

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Laurel "Jean" Nelson, age 91 of Bloomington, MN, died on Saturday evening, May 2, 2020 at Cannon Rivers Senior Living in Cannon Falls.

Jean was born on September 10, 1928 in Granada, MN, the daughter of Ellsworth and Elsie (Hopp) Jurgenson. She graduated from Granada High School in 1947 and married Stan Nelson on January 17, 1953 in Minneapolis. She served with the U.S. Air Force from 1950 until her honorable discharge in 1953.

Jean was a talented and creative woman. After serving in the Air Force and being married, she did many things. She was a hairdresser, bowler, and a leader of different groups she belonged to. She baked and decorated wedding cakes and made beautiful Christmas cookies each year. She was a crafter, sewer, crochet and knitter, a wood carver, a gardener, and a canner. She traveled the world later in life and was a smart, resourceful, funny, hardworking, caring, and generous person, who never said a bad word about anyone. She was loved deeply by her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Stan; brothers, Donald and Robert Jurgenson; and sister, Sharon Maloney.

She is survived by her sons, Charles (Geri) of Northfield, Douglas (Sherry) of Richfield, Curtis (Pat) of Cannon Falls, and Gordon of Bloomington; 7 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren; sisters, Lorraine Michaelke of Truman and Marilyn (Ron) Meyer of West Salem, WI; and many nieces and nephews.

A private family service will be held at True North Church in Cannon Falls. Interment with military honors will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.