Our mom was born in Superior, WI on March 13, 1923 to mother and father-Ethel Blacketter and Dan Nelson. Our Grandpa was a salesman, causing him to be away from home a lot and the family to move a lot. They moved from Superior to Grantsburg and moved around the area many times.
Phyllis's nickname was "Fishy." She wasn't quite sure how she got that nickname. When she was ten they moved to Faulen, WI, to a beautiful home. They had a garden, apple trees, plum trees, raspberries, and lovely flowers. They lived right next to their two room school house (so there was no excuse for being late for school)! Our mom always spoke lovingly about the time their dad bought them an old circus pony for Christmas. (They really couldn't afford the horse, but the kids thoroughly enjoyed him.) Prince would march in a circle to band music. Another school girl fiasco was her participation in the "secret three." The three would clean for Grandma Nelson-but of course they would never let on to why the dishes were done. They once wallpapered the outhouse so they could use it as their club house (so mom's brothers wouldn't tease them).
Mom could play the piano by ear. She started this career in grade school when she learned to play an old pump organ. She very much enjoyed playing the piano in her elderly years—when the family piano would hold a tune. She played the saxophone for four years in high school and always told us kids how much fun she had in band.
After graduation, mom worked in the Teal Lake Resort in Hayward, WI. She did laundry—washing with a washing machine with a gasoline engine, she ironed tablecloths and sheets and washed floors on her hands and knees. She quit to go to Anchor Nursing School in St Paul.
During the second year of nursing school her mother had a heart attack, World War II started, and her dad lost his job (due to the shortage of metal being used for airplanes). Mom quit school to tend to the family. Eventually she moved to Mpls to help her dad—where he had found a job. She cooked and cleaned for him and also worked in a grocery store, a dress shop, and finally Audi (a defense plant). Mom met dad at a bar in 1945. They were married October 20, 1945 at a small wedding. They bought a prefab house in Hopkins (with money Grandma Nelson had insisted my mom save). Mom lived in Hopkins for 64 years while raising six kids.
She wasn't perfect, but she was a wonderful mother. She would play with us to the Breakfast Club when we were little. We would make newspaper pirate hats and march around the table. We had a lot of fun and good times growing up—and a lot of tragedy and crisis to deal with when our dad would be mentally ill. We will truly, truly miss our mom. She was always there for us and held the family together through thick and thin. Bon voyage dear mom, you will always be in our hearts. Love forever.
Husband: Jack (deceased)
Phyllis's brothers: Dan Nelson, Ellsworth Carlson (both deceased)
Kids: Jack Lavigne, Jackie DeBauche, Julie Nelson, Jeanette LaVigne and Joel LaVigne.
Some of her favorite songs that she taught us kids:
Love Letters in the Sand
Over There
We Don't Want the Bacon
That Old Gang of Mine
Paper Doll
Playmate
I'll Be Down to Get You in a Taxi Honey
You're the End of the Rainbow
You're Mommies Little Angel
Baby Face
The Red Cross Nurse
Bluebirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover
The Old Rugged Cross
I Come to the Garden Alone
I Come to Cincinnati (There's a hole in the donut)
How Ya Go'in Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm
Information provided by family members.
Phyllis's nickname was "Fishy." She wasn't quite sure how she got that nickname. When she was ten they moved to Faulen, WI, to a beautiful home. They had a garden, apple trees, plum trees, raspberries, and lovely flowers. They lived right next to their two room school house (so there was no excuse for being late for school)! Our mom always spoke lovingly about the time their dad bought them an old circus pony for Christmas. (They really couldn't afford the horse, but the kids thoroughly enjoyed him.) Prince would march in a circle to band music. Another school girl fiasco was her participation in the "secret three." The three would clean for Grandma Nelson-but of course they would never let on to why the dishes were done. They once wallpapered the outhouse so they could use it as their club house (so mom's brothers wouldn't tease them).
Mom could play the piano by ear. She started this career in grade school when she learned to play an old pump organ. She very much enjoyed playing the piano in her elderly years—when the family piano would hold a tune. She played the saxophone for four years in high school and always told us kids how much fun she had in band.
After graduation, mom worked in the Teal Lake Resort in Hayward, WI. She did laundry—washing with a washing machine with a gasoline engine, she ironed tablecloths and sheets and washed floors on her hands and knees. She quit to go to Anchor Nursing School in St Paul.
During the second year of nursing school her mother had a heart attack, World War II started, and her dad lost his job (due to the shortage of metal being used for airplanes). Mom quit school to tend to the family. Eventually she moved to Mpls to help her dad—where he had found a job. She cooked and cleaned for him and also worked in a grocery store, a dress shop, and finally Audi (a defense plant). Mom met dad at a bar in 1945. They were married October 20, 1945 at a small wedding. They bought a prefab house in Hopkins (with money Grandma Nelson had insisted my mom save). Mom lived in Hopkins for 64 years while raising six kids.
She wasn't perfect, but she was a wonderful mother. She would play with us to the Breakfast Club when we were little. We would make newspaper pirate hats and march around the table. We had a lot of fun and good times growing up—and a lot of tragedy and crisis to deal with when our dad would be mentally ill. We will truly, truly miss our mom. She was always there for us and held the family together through thick and thin. Bon voyage dear mom, you will always be in our hearts. Love forever.
Husband: Jack (deceased)
Phyllis's brothers: Dan Nelson, Ellsworth Carlson (both deceased)
Kids: Jack Lavigne, Jackie DeBauche, Julie Nelson, Jeanette LaVigne and Joel LaVigne.
Some of her favorite songs that she taught us kids:
Love Letters in the Sand
Over There
We Don't Want the Bacon
That Old Gang of Mine
Paper Doll
Playmate
I'll Be Down to Get You in a Taxi Honey
You're the End of the Rainbow
You're Mommies Little Angel
Baby Face
The Red Cross Nurse
Bluebirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover
The Old Rugged Cross
I Come to the Garden Alone
I Come to Cincinnati (There's a hole in the donut)
How Ya Go'in Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm
Information provided by family members.
Our mom was born in Superior, WI on March 13, 1923 to mother and father-Ethel Blacketter and Dan Nelson. Our Grandpa was a salesman, causing him to be away from home a lot and the family to move a lot. They moved from Superior to Grantsburg and moved around the area many times.
Phyllis's nickname was "Fishy." She wasn't quite sure how she got that nickname. When she was ten they moved to Faulen, WI, to a beautiful home. They had a garden, apple trees, plum trees, raspberries, and lovely flowers. They lived right next to their two room school house (so there was no excuse for being late for school)! Our mom always spoke lovingly about the time their dad bought them an old circus pony for Christmas. (They really couldn't afford the horse, but the kids thoroughly enjoyed him.) Prince would march in a circle to band music. Another school girl fiasco was her participation in the "secret three." The three would clean for Grandma Nelson-but of course they would never let on to why the dishes were done. They once wallpapered the outhouse so they could use it as their club house (so mom's brothers wouldn't tease them).
Mom could play the piano by ear. She started this career in grade school when she learned to play an old pump organ. She very much enjoyed playing the piano in her elderly years—when the family piano would hold a tune. She played the saxophone for four years in high school and always told us kids how much fun she had in band.
After graduation, mom worked in the Teal Lake Resort in Hayward, WI. She did laundry—washing with a washing machine with a gasoline engine, she ironed tablecloths and sheets and washed floors on her hands and knees. She quit to go to Anchor Nursing School in St Paul.
During the second year of nursing school her mother had a heart attack, World War II started, and her dad lost his job (due to the shortage of metal being used for airplanes). Mom quit school to tend to the family. Eventually she moved to Mpls to help her dad—where he had found a job. She cooked and cleaned for him and also worked in a grocery store, a dress shop, and finally Audi (a defense plant). Mom met dad at a bar in 1945. They were married October 20, 1945 at a small wedding. They bought a prefab house in Hopkins (with money Grandma Nelson had insisted my mom save). Mom lived in Hopkins for 64 years while raising six kids.
She wasn't perfect, but she was a wonderful mother. She would play with us to the Breakfast Club when we were little. We would make newspaper pirate hats and march around the table. We had a lot of fun and good times growing up—and a lot of tragedy and crisis to deal with when our dad would be mentally ill. We will truly, truly miss our mom. She was always there for us and held the family together through thick and thin. Bon voyage dear mom, you will always be in our hearts. Love forever.
Husband: Jack (deceased)
Phyllis's brothers: Dan Nelson, Ellsworth Carlson (both deceased)
Kids: Jack Lavigne, Jackie DeBauche, Julie Nelson, Jeanette LaVigne and Joel LaVigne.
Some of her favorite songs that she taught us kids:
Love Letters in the Sand
Over There
We Don't Want the Bacon
That Old Gang of Mine
Paper Doll
Playmate
I'll Be Down to Get You in a Taxi Honey
You're the End of the Rainbow
You're Mommies Little Angel
Baby Face
The Red Cross Nurse
Bluebirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover
The Old Rugged Cross
I Come to the Garden Alone
I Come to Cincinnati (There's a hole in the donut)
How Ya Go'in Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm
Information provided by family members.
Phyllis's nickname was "Fishy." She wasn't quite sure how she got that nickname. When she was ten they moved to Faulen, WI, to a beautiful home. They had a garden, apple trees, plum trees, raspberries, and lovely flowers. They lived right next to their two room school house (so there was no excuse for being late for school)! Our mom always spoke lovingly about the time their dad bought them an old circus pony for Christmas. (They really couldn't afford the horse, but the kids thoroughly enjoyed him.) Prince would march in a circle to band music. Another school girl fiasco was her participation in the "secret three." The three would clean for Grandma Nelson-but of course they would never let on to why the dishes were done. They once wallpapered the outhouse so they could use it as their club house (so mom's brothers wouldn't tease them).
Mom could play the piano by ear. She started this career in grade school when she learned to play an old pump organ. She very much enjoyed playing the piano in her elderly years—when the family piano would hold a tune. She played the saxophone for four years in high school and always told us kids how much fun she had in band.
After graduation, mom worked in the Teal Lake Resort in Hayward, WI. She did laundry—washing with a washing machine with a gasoline engine, she ironed tablecloths and sheets and washed floors on her hands and knees. She quit to go to Anchor Nursing School in St Paul.
During the second year of nursing school her mother had a heart attack, World War II started, and her dad lost his job (due to the shortage of metal being used for airplanes). Mom quit school to tend to the family. Eventually she moved to Mpls to help her dad—where he had found a job. She cooked and cleaned for him and also worked in a grocery store, a dress shop, and finally Audi (a defense plant). Mom met dad at a bar in 1945. They were married October 20, 1945 at a small wedding. They bought a prefab house in Hopkins (with money Grandma Nelson had insisted my mom save). Mom lived in Hopkins for 64 years while raising six kids.
She wasn't perfect, but she was a wonderful mother. She would play with us to the Breakfast Club when we were little. We would make newspaper pirate hats and march around the table. We had a lot of fun and good times growing up—and a lot of tragedy and crisis to deal with when our dad would be mentally ill. We will truly, truly miss our mom. She was always there for us and held the family together through thick and thin. Bon voyage dear mom, you will always be in our hearts. Love forever.
Husband: Jack (deceased)
Phyllis's brothers: Dan Nelson, Ellsworth Carlson (both deceased)
Kids: Jack Lavigne, Jackie DeBauche, Julie Nelson, Jeanette LaVigne and Joel LaVigne.
Some of her favorite songs that she taught us kids:
Love Letters in the Sand
Over There
We Don't Want the Bacon
That Old Gang of Mine
Paper Doll
Playmate
I'll Be Down to Get You in a Taxi Honey
You're the End of the Rainbow
You're Mommies Little Angel
Baby Face
The Red Cross Nurse
Bluebirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover
The Old Rugged Cross
I Come to the Garden Alone
I Come to Cincinnati (There's a hole in the donut)
How Ya Go'in Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm
Information provided by family members.
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