Obituary for Margaret H. Nelson

After graduation, Margaret took a secretarial training course at Winona Business College; then, worked in the Buffalo County Welfare Department in Alma, WI. She then moved to San Francisco, CA, where she worked as a secretary for the Mercantile Acceptance Corporation. She returned home to care for her ill mother.

While at a dance in the spring of 1948, Margaret re-connected with a former classmate, Jack Nelson. They were married October 9,1948, at St. Luke's Evangelical and Reform Church in Eitzen, MN.

Margaret was a stay-at-home wife and mother. She enjoyed gardening, canning, and sewing clothing for her children. She was a 4-H leader, helping her children with their 4-H projects, and later babysitting her grandchildren while their mother was stationed overseas.

Margaret bowled many years with a bowling league in Thief River Falls, attended area senior dances where she "danced up a storm." She raised chickens, sold eggs, enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles and playing bingo. Margaret especially liked to travel. She visited her children at various stationed bases across the country during their military service, even taking a trip to England and Israel.

In 2010, Margaret and Jack sold their farm in Middle River and moved back to Caledonia to be closer to family and relatives. After selling their house in 2021, she moved into Claddagh Senior Living.

Margaret is survived by her husband, Jack of 77 years; daughter-in-law, Gail (Albee) of Caledonia, MN; children, Mae Bubbers of LaCrescent, MN, Haze (Mike) Fisch of Middleton, WI, Lois (Tom) Wang of Thief River Falls, MN, Mark Nelson of Peyton, CO, Rose (Randy) Nelson of Vienna, VA, Tammy (Mark) Nelson of Minnetonka, MN, Donna Nelson of Fredericksburg, VA, Carol Nelson of Prescott, AZ, and Kathy (Terry) Henrich of Brooklyn Park, MN; 13 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Ella Wiegrefe; step-mother, Evelyn Wiegrefe; sister, Marie and husband Neil Comstock; brothers, Leonard and wife, Lillie Wiegrefe and Lester and wife, Charlotte Wiegrefe; her in-laws, Evertte and Josphine Nelson, Keith and wife, Helen Nelson, and Nadine and husband, LaVerne Privet; son-in-law, Charlie Bubbers; son Eric Nelson; and infant Arlo.

Margaret died December 30, 2025, at the age of 97.

On Saturday, February 28, 2026, a memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., at the Caledonia United Methodist Church. Pastor Jill Diana will officiate. A visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m., until the time of service. Following the service there will be a lunch in the dining hall.

The burial will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Hokah, MN, at a later date.

Online condolences may be offered to Margaret's family at this site.